Our Illusion
by x3NamiRoku
Summary: From the day they met, Namine and Roxas seem to be the only people who can see who each other really are, but will this connection be enough to protect them from back-stabbing friends, mysterious kidnappers, and ruthless murderers?
1. Seeing is Believing

Namine treaded lightly in the sand, her boots getting slightly more filled with sand at every step. She couldn't imagine the chance of moving here. Twilight Town was her sanctuary, the only home she'd ever known. The memories that haunted her brain, lingered in her dreams.

She heard a voice come from far along the beach, but it was still crystal clear, like the melodious sound of a piccolo playing into her ear.

Her friend approached, calling worriedly, "Namine!" Concern dusted her hazy blue eyes.

"Hey, Kairi." Namine had no enthusiasm left in her voice, but she tried to muster up all she could. When she looked up to see her friend's face, she noticed that she now had a companion with her.

Without haste, the black-haired girl yelled out her input. "Where were you?" Her voice was sharp and was more like a falcon in Namine's ears.

"Yeah, we've looked everywhere for you!" Kairi's auburn hair swung into her face harshly, like a whip being cracked, as she flicked her head back in frustration.

Namine didn't have many friends –she was sheltered from the world- but Kairi and Xion were two people who were irreplaceable to her. They attended Twilight Town Preparatory School with her.

Namine opened her mouth to reply to their onslaught, but Xion beat her to it. "And not to mention your parents are worried sick!"

"Gosh!" Namine began to lose the patience she once had. It ticked away with every word coming out of their rapidly moving lips. "You sound just like them."

Immediately, Kairi resented her harsh, cutting tone. "Nam, you know were just worried after, well, you know." A long silence filled the salty ocean air. Eventually, Kairi touched Namine's arm lightly to say _let's go. _

The girls started back towards the train station, contemplating this year's events silently in their own minds. Neither of the ladies shared a word the entire ride home.

When they finally reached their home town, Kairi was the first to speak up. "Nami, promise me you'll go straight home, please."

Namine grumbled, but she could not refuse her friend's simple request. "Promise."

The girls went their separate ways, each a different, lamp lit direction. As Namine headed up the hilled brick road, the sand left in her grey, flat-bottomed ankle boots found its way into her socks, she walked uncomfortably, barely aware of her surroundings.

Suddenly, she caught a glimpse of something, or rather, some_one, _out of the corner of her sky blue eye. All she was able to catch at the moment was spiky blonde hair, and a wisp of the deepest blue she had ever seen.

"Who's there?" she cried out as she spun around, her pale blonde hair cascading into her face, but no one was there. "Calm down, Namine, it's nothing, nobody."

But, she soon saw another figure sitting at the edge of an alley way. This time, all she caught was the silhouette. The first thing she recognized was the spiky hair.

The figure approached her, and her heart stopped.

Namine shot up out of her snow white silk covers, breathing heavily, in and out, in and out. She felt like someone had just thrown her off a cliff, and all she could do was fall. What just happened, it was all just a dream. But what parts were real? She ran her dainty, pale fingers through her hair, processing the events she remembered. Stumbling, she got out of bed. She noticed she was still dressed in the outfit she wore yesterday.

She started to wriggle out of her blue leggings when she remembered the blue from her dream, or whatever it was. The blue that she'd never seen before, something like an enchanting cross between the ocean, the sky, and sapphires. But there was something special about this color, something she felt she recognized.

Out of nowhere, it came to her. They were eyes. But who's eyes. Namine knew she'd seen them before, but where?

She had to think, get out of her house. Quickly, she slipped into a white skirt and struggled into a white camisole. When she looked out the window and saw the leaves blowing around and the torrential rain pounding the bricks, she added a green sweater.

On her way down the wooden stairs and out the door, she tugged her slouchy grey boots onto her feet. There were still a couple grains of sand left in them, and they rubbed against her slender, socked feet. Just before she ran out the door, she noticed her parents weren't home, as usual.

The streets were grey and sullen. Namine was the only one out, walking in the misty air. Her hair was soaked and flattened against her head. Eventually, she reached the train station. Without even a second of eye contact, she handed the ticket vendor her money and grasped the ticket firmly in her hand.

When she looked up, she saw a group of kids who seemed around her age standing around discussing something in hushed tones. But something stopped Namine dead in her tracks. One of the boys had spiky blonde hair, but that wasn't what got her. It was his eyes. His perfectly blue eyes.

A look of combined confusion and angst spread itself across her soft, heart-shaped face, flooding through her eyes and plastering onto her young profile as she stood petrified.

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thanks for reading, and once again, reviews are mucho appreciated! ;D


	2. Waves of Memories

The train finally pulled up to the station, and Namine hoped they weren't boarding, but her unlucky streak continued. Three of the friends rushed onto the train as fast as their legs would carry them.

A short, short plump boy turned away from the brunette and the tall boy. He called to the one with the blue eyes. "Roxas! Come on!"

Roxas, that was his name. It had a beautiful, familiar ring to it. Almost like the sound of a bird singing in the sky. Namine soon realized she had to get on the train, and she rushed onto it, passing the friends without a word out of her soft, rose colored lips.

Throughout the train ride, discretely listening to their conversation divulged much to Namine. The chubby boy was named Pence; he was sweet and optimistic.

Olette was the girl. She was very smart and always ready to speak her mind. The tall, tough boy seemed to be the leader of the group and was called Hayner.

And then there was Roxas. He was definitely the shyest of the group, always lost in thought. When he did speak, though, a feeling sailed through Namine's heart. She couldn't explain it; it was a sensation she had never felt before. Eventually, the engine reached the beach. Unfortunately for her, however, they were going, too.

Hayner let a large, bright smile slide across his rectangular face, brightening his honey-almond eyes. When he made this face, she saw Olette smile, too. Not an excited smile, though, a lovesick smile. "Let's get some pretzels, guys!"

Olette and Pence ran off, following him down the beach to the pier, but, once again, Roxas lingered. "I'll catch up with you guys later," he called out, dropping his head. Namine stood silent as a deep fog came over the beach, so thick her vision seemed to disappear. Next thing she knew, she felt a tug on her arm.

She inhaled sharply as she whipped around, sending water flying out of her hair."Don't be scared." There was that melodious voice again. "Uhm, do I know you?"

Namine could only sputter out a single word, "N-no." Even this one word left her faint, nearly out of breath. She attempted to regain her composure. "At least, I don't think so."

Roxas looked at the ground, then the sand and water beyond, or what he could see of it. "Oh, okay. I just," mumbled Roxas, then paused. "Never mind."

"No, wait. Tell me." Namine hated the feeling of not knowing. "Please." But Roxas kept his mouth shut and shook his soft, blonde hair. "Well, I'm Namine, if it helps." They both seemed to catch each other's eyes, connecting for a moment, but they then both averted their gazes to the sea in the distance.

After about a minute of the most uncomfortable silence Namine had ever been through, she was unable to bear another second. "Honestly, not to be rude, but won't your friends miss you if you don't meet up with them?"

"No, no they won't," Roxas whispered, "No one ever does."

When Namine heard his words, she almost felt hurt, but not exactly. It was, once again, an emotion she had never felt before. It was completely indescribable to her. The only words that seemed to work at the moment were, "That's not true."

Roxas turned towards her, dumbfounded. "What makes you so sure, you don't even know me." Roxas shook off his expression and fixed his gaze back onto the hazy horizon. "For all you know, I could be evil."

Namine didn't even need to think, the words were already there. "I don't know, it's just," she hesitated to continue, but regained her courage. "I can just feel it. You're a good person."

"Whatever you say, Namine," he replied half-heartedly. "I guess, since you know so much about me, you know my name is Roxas."

"I don't mean it like I know everything about you," Namine stammered. Her mind raced with things she could say, but she couldn't find what sounded best. Finally, she came up with, "The air around you, you can feel it. You're easy to care about, Roxas."

The two were so engaged in conversation, in each other, that they hadn't noticed the rain had stopped, and the sun had began to shine, and the air began to clear.

Eventually, after more silence, Namine thought of her parents. "I have to go home; my parents are probably worried sick."

As she got up, Roxas said something that took her for surprise. Almost on impulse, he blurted out, "Will I see you again?"

"Maybe," said Namine, as she walked towards the train station, her hair blowing gently in the soft wind. Roxas watched her board the train. She had a slow, graceful way of walking, like a butterfly, which seemed to entrance him.

Roxas stood alone on the beach for only about another minute before Pence, Hayner, and Olette came sprinting down the beach in a fit of laughter and joy. Upon seeing Roxas, they became quiet.

Hayner was the first to speak. "Man, where were you?" Olette and Pence stood by him, concerned expressions painted on their young faces. "We waited for forever at the pier."

Roxas turned toward his friends and said softly, "I'm sorry, didn't think you would wait that long."

As he strode dejectedly up to his friends, he heard Olette say, "We didn't want to go on without you." She studied him, distress coloring her eyes. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, just a little sick," he lied easily, on the brink of naturally. He was actually worried by how comfortable it was, deceiving his friends.

"Roxas," Pence finally spoke. "You don't have to lie. We're your friends, we can tell something's wrong.""Look, it's nothing a good night's sleep won't fix." Roxas shook his head and ran his long fingers through his thick, blonde locks. "Can we just go home so I can I can actually go to bed?"

Hayner squinted at him as if they were miles apart. "Whatever, man." He turned away and headed for the train station. Pence followed right behind him, but Olette stayed behind.

"I hope you feel better, Roxas." Her deep, emerald eyes gazed at him. "We care about you, whether Hayner shows it or not."

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So, I uploaded chapters 1-5 on the same day, so I'm sorry if any of your reviews havent quite taken affect, but I am listening!(: I could still use your opinions & every thought you have, so fire away! Please and thank you.


	3. Stolen Innocence

_So, I uploaded chapters 1-5 on the same day, so I'm sorry if any of your reviews havent quite taken affect, but I am listening!(:_

On the way home, Roxas tried to talk to his friends, but he couldn't muster up much. After they reached Twilight Town and headed their separate ways, a chill shot down Roxas's spine like lightning cracking down from the sky.

He could feel something, a presence, lingering in the air. In the horizon, he caught a glimpse of the sun sinking timidly behind the buildings up ahead. A fiery blaze of reds, oranges, hot pinks, and purples illuminated the sky, allowing the pigments to swirl in a kaleidoscope of calm energy.

Roxas smiled a relaxed, lazy smile. Quickly realizing how he looked, he shook himself out and shrugged his shoulders.

"Still love those sunsets, eh? Always were a little bit soft."

Roxas recognized the voice immediately, but when he turned around to see the familiar face, he blacked out. The last thing he remembered was the thud of his knee hitting the pavement. When he awoke, he was safe in his bed.

As he awoke, his vision was hazy, but the memory was clear. "Wha- what just happened?" Throwing the covers off, he noticed he was in his normal, grey pajama pants. Confused and just a little scared, he stepped out of his bed and run out of his room.

"Sora? Sora?" he called out.

Sora stepped out of the kitchen, laughing. "Dude, calm down. What's wrong?

Roxas found himself huffing and puffing. When he finally regulated his breath, he calmly asked, "When did I get home last night?"

"Uh, not much after me, I guess. You seemed like you were really upset about something." Sora raised his eyebrows, trying to understand what was going on in his brother's head. "You don't remember?"

It was a dream. Namine, Axel, the entire day was a stupid, stupid dream. "No, no I don't. Uh, I have to go." Before Sora could ask anything else, Roxas was out the door.

Roxas just kept walking, walking around and around. Eventually, he found himself at a steep hill with a brick road. He didn't recognize it, so he started walking up.

He heard a shrill shout come from higher up, so he started to run uphill.

"I don't need you to track every move I make!" He saw a young blonde girl run out of a white house up ahead, slamming the door behind her. She thrust herself onto the cold street and began to cry the softest, gentlest sobs Roxas had ever seen.

He moved closer to her until he was able to see her smooth, angled face. "No, it can't be," he breathed as he took a step back. He had to know for sure, though, so he continued to come closer.

Eventually, she noticed someone approaching her. "Who- who's there?" There was just enough light left to allow her to make out the figure, and she immediately knew who it was, yet she still hesitated. "Roxas?"

"Namine," she heard him reply cautiously, sort of questioningly.

She let out a sigh, relieved it was someone she knew, but she quickly became embarrassed at the fact he just saw what happened. She buried her head in between her bare knees. A part of her just wanted to be left alone and hoped he would just walk away without a question, but the other wanted him to sit beside her and never leave.

He slowly and smoothly advanced toward her; she gave no reaction. He drew nearer until he finally reached her.

When he sat beside her, he opened his mouth to speak, but she beat him to it. "What are you doing?"

"I- I," he whispered, but he couldn't finish. The truth was, he didn't quite know. "I just wanted to know what's wrong."

Namine shook her head, leaving her face covered by her soft, blonde veil. "It doesn't matter, okay?" she lied with a crack in her voice. "Just, just go away." She choked on every word.

Roxas didn't hesitate to say, "No, it isn't 'nothing'." He felt a confidence in his voice for once, and he liked it. "Nothing doesn't make you run out of your house and sit in the street."

"Damn, you're persistent. Look, I'll tell you if we can at least get out of here first." At that, Roxas stood up, reaching out his hand to Namine. When Namine's hand grasped his, warmth spread through the both of them, bringing smiles to their young faces.

As the two started down the hill, their steps syncing together, Namine began to tell the story. "My parents, well, in short, are really over protective. They weren't always this way; it's more of a recent thing."

When Roxas looked at Namine, he saw there was something deeper about it. He didn't know if he should ask; on one hand, he wanted to know, but on the other, he didn't want to be nosy. After a few moments, he summoned the courage to say, "Do you know why?"

Normally, Namine would lie and say no, but something about Roxas made her want to open up her heart and spill out every secret bottled inside her. "I was kidnapped." She couldn't bring herself to look at his reaction, so she stared intently at the ground until he spoke again.

Roxas had to catch his breath, but he didn't want to be rude. All he could muster up was, "What happened?"

At this point, tears began to well up in Namine's eyes. She did everything she could to restrain them while she told him the story. "It was about a month ago. I went to a party with some friends, and was supposed to be home by midnight. By noon the next day," Namine paused, choking on the tears that could no longer be held back.

"By noon the next day, I hadn't come home. My parents went searching for me, but I was nowhere to be found. Two days later, my parents found me asleep on my bed. All I can remember was two men. One had black and white hair, pulled back. He had an eye patch, as well. The other, he had long blue hair."

Roxas abruptly stopped walking, creating a separation between them. "Zigbar and Saix," he gasped to himself.

Woah, suspense! Aha, well, I'm awaiting any thoughts you have, so let me hear them.(: x3love you guys.


	4. Caught

_So, I uploaded chapters 1-5 on the same day, so I'm sorry if any of your reviews havent quite taken affect, but I am listening!(:_

Namine turned, her cheeks glistening from the sun on her tears. "Are you okay?"

"No- nothing," he stammered, running back to her. "The real question is are you okay?"

"I'm fine, but my parents are a totally different case." Namine had an aggravated expression fixed on her delicate face. "We're moving to Destiny Island the day after my birthday."

"Wow, harsh." Roxas laid his head in his large hand. Without looking up, he asked hesitantly, "Uhm, when is your birthday?"

Namine thought about the days passing by, and it suddenly occurred to her how close it all was. "Two weeks," she said dazedly.

Roxas was prepared to turn the conversation into a happier one, by maybe asking 'What do you want for your birthday?' Or perhaps, 'How old are you turning?', but his thoughts were interrupted by Namine gently tugging his hand and running towards the market.

"C'mon, let's lighten the mood!" Namine giggled. Her laugh, it was so sweet, like a baby chipmunk, it made Roxas' heart skip a beat. When he snapped back to reality, he realized they were standing by a sea-salt ice cream cart.

"Hello? Roxas? Anybody in there?" Namine was standing in front of the cart, waving her elegant fingers in front of his face? "Do you want any ice cream?"

All Roxas could do at the moment was nod his head slowly and agreeably until he could take in the situation. Before he knew it, he was being handed his favorite treat and was walking along the roads of Twilight Town.

"This is nice." Namine immediately regretted saying anything. She waited apprehensively for him to say something, anything. She thought she'd die if he didn't answer in the next two seconds.

She sighed with comfort when she finally heard him say, "You know, it really is." He stopped licking his ice cream to turn towards the young girl and their eyes met. An electric sensation filled the air surrounding them, making them feel as if they were in an entire new universe. As they leaned closer to each other, the couple heard their names called out.

Namine's cheeks flushed a bright cherry red as they turned to reveal Kairi and Sora approaching them, laughing and giggling cheerily. Kairi, as usual was the first to speak. When it came to her, words were always flowing from her like a water fall. But she was nice, and her sweet blue eyes were always aglow, especially when she was with Sora.

"Well, what is it we walked in on? Namine, I didn't know you knew Roxas?" Kairi raised her thin brows both curiously and suggestively somehow at the same time. She squeezed Sora's hand tight but lovingly and laid her head on his shoulder.

Namine had never gotten to meet Sora before. He didn't go to her private school, and Kairi had never introduced them, but she immediately recognized his eyes, even before his brown, gravity defiant hair. They were the same, perfect cerulean that Roxas' were. She wondered how they could have possibly been created twice.

"Uhm, we met a couple days ago, that's all." Namine's blush grew stronger; she could feel the heat creep from the apples of her cheeks to her nose and forehead. "Just two new friends walking around the street. You know? Just hangin' around." Namine caught herself rambling like she always did when she was nervous.

Roxas looked over at her. The way she got all flustered, and how she kept babbling. He was smitten, from the top of his golden spikes right down to the bottom of his worn sneakers. She noticed he was blushing, too, but not nearly as much as she was. He had sat silent for the entire time, and still couldn't come up with any excuse of his own, so he simply agreed with a, "Yup. That's right."

"Uh huh, sure, whatever you say." Kairi rolled her gleaming eyes and laughed at the two.

Namine rubbed her arm anxiously as her eyes darted from place to place. "Kairi, is this Sora? Weird I've never met him, right? And then I probably would have met Roxas then and this entire awkward encounter could have been completely avoided."

Sora placed his hand behind his brown, gelled up head, his cheeks reddening slightly. "That's me. And what would be the fun in that? Now we get to watch you two freak out." He winked cleverly as he pulled Kairi's hand towards him.

After what seemed like hours of just casual conversation, Kairi asked the question the couple was hoping wouldn't come up. "So, what were you two doing before we got here, Roxas?" Kairi knew full well Roxas was an absolutely horrible liar, so she made sure he would be the one answering.

"Uh, you know, nothing much." Roxas avoided all eye contact. "Just, uh, talking."

Sora was skeptical of his twin's answer, so he easily became more specific. "Then why were you two so close to each other?" His face was both triumphant and questioning.

Roxas opened his mouth to speak, but no words could come out. His mind raced, trying to come up with something. Eventually, he threw a glance to Namine indicating he needed rescuing.

"Well, you see, I had something in my eye, and Roxas was just helping me." Namine smiled, feeling proud and confident.

Kairi shook her head at her blonde friend, knowing her way too well. "Don't bull shit me."

"You know, I have to get up early tomorrow to pack, so, uhm, I'm going to go now." Namine began to walk away, but Kairi chased after her, leaving the boys by themselves to talk.

Eek, I cant believe somone actually read this far. Thanks for all the support.(: I'm still writing, so any suggestions you give me will be put to good use.


	5. Explain It

_So, I uploaded chapters 1-5 on the same day, so I'm sorry if any of your reviews havent quite taken affect, but I am listening!(:  
_Isnt it annoying how I feel the need to put that in every chapter? Well, luckily, this is the last of that.(:

Once they were out of sight, Sora couldn't contain himself any longer. "Dude, you've got is so bad!"

"No I don't." Roxas' cheeks flushed, but he attempted to keep his cool. "We're just two friends hanging out."

Sora shook his head at his brother. They'd lived their entire lives together, so nothing got past either one of them anymore. "Sure, whatever you say. You know you're whipped." He gestured to him to follow as he laughed his way toward their home.

Roxas decided to stay quiet as they trumped up and down the avenues and lanes of Twilight Town. He thought it best if he no longer tried to defend himself, since he really wasn't all that good at it. They finally got home, and Roxas thought, maybe, he could tell his brother what he was actually thinking for once.

"You're right," he burst out. "About Namine, I do like her, a lot." He didn't even have the slightest idea of how to begin to explain the feeling, no, the passion, that they shared, so he left that part out.

Sora acted like he didn't care, though inside he was having a party over the small victory. "Yeah, it was pretty obvious." Sora rolled his eyes when he saw Roxas begin to freak out.

"Oh my damn! Do you think she could tell?" He began pacing around on the smooth hardwood floors. They had lost their sheen rather quickly due to the strange amount of pacing the two of them did.

Roxas muttered to himself and continue to tread back and forth for a little while longer before turning back to Sora. "Well? Do you?"

"Man, you have to calm down. Kairi thinks she likes you, too." Sora chuckled at the expression that flooded onto his twin's face. It was a mixture of ecstasy, pride, and a shred of confusion. His eyebrows were plastered as high as they could go, and his eyes were glowing with an immense blue sheen.

As Kairi's pink heels clicked through the winding, twisting roads, Namine kept her down, in hopes her friend wouldn't venture to bring up the earlier situation. Her hopes failed her.

Kairi playfully hit her friend on her slender arm and did a slight jump spin. "So," she asked in a high-pitched, anxious voice. "You totally like him!"

"I have no idea what you are talking about." Namine tossed her baby blue eyes to the sky, knowing full well her friend understood her sarcastic tone. She nervously bit down on the left over popsicle stick from her sea-salt ice cream.

Kairi laughed at the annoyance expressed on her friend's fragile face. "Uh huh, I guess there really was just 'something in your eye.'"

Namine quickly became uncomfortable and nervous, leaving her out of focus. When she wasn't paying attention, her toe got hooked on her heel and went tumbling towards the solid ground. When she finally landed, scraping the palms of her pale, slender hands, a scene flashed before her eyes. She attempted to make out what happened, but it only lasted a second. She saw a flash of red, pink, and blue.

"Namine!" Kairi called out as she dropped to her friend's side. "Are you alright?"

"I- I don't know." Namine stared into the endless sky up ahead, letting the setting sun caress her soft face and beam off of her bright blue eyes.

Namine's eyelashes unwound from each other as her eyes fluttered open. The sunlight glared through her open window, causing her to throw the white silk of her blankets over her head. Her frosty blonde scattered itself across her pillow, wisps slipping across the blank, soft fabric surrounding her. She tried to recollect the events of yesterday. She realized that she couldn't be around Kairi anymore, or at least not until she understood what was happening between her and Roxas. She couldn't be near Roxas until she knew how she felt. How she saw it, there was one person left. Xion.

While she heard the rain pounding on the roof, she was amazed that they had actually gotten more than one day of rain in a week. She stepped into a pair of soft, black jeans. The denim hugged every part of her legs, warming her shivering body. She tugged a navy plaid pea coat onto her arms over the teal tank top she had worn to bed. After lacing up her matching teal converse, she splashed into the rain.

After ten seconds in the rain, her unbrushed hair lay flaxen on her head, completely drenched. The water poured down from the sky, as if someone had taken a large bucket of water and poured it onto her thin, delicate frame, and it was endless. Walking became difficult as her clothes became heavy and full of water. Her piecey bangs hung in front of her eyes, dripping water down her angled face.

Eventually, she reached Xion's home. The cement exterior was even darker than usual, taking its normal grey to a deep, morbid black. When she answered the door, Xion's hair nearly blended with the outside of the house, but her hair was darker. She wore a red and black plaid skirt that was held up with suspenders. Underneath the skirt was a pair of green fishnets colliding with her bright yellow t-shirt. Despite her harsh, rugged appearance, she jumped towards her old pal and gave her a tight hug.

Her mouth seemed to move at an amazing rate as she gestured for Namine to come in. "You're soaked! Let me get you a towel! How have you been? I missed you! Why are you out in this downpour? Are you cr-", but before she could finish her flurry of inquiries, Namine hugged her once more.

Xion could feel her desperation, so she stayed silent until Namine was ready to speak.

"I need your help, okay?" Namine let her light blue lock in on Xion's pools of indigo. Her heart raced, and she felt as if she was drowning, desperate for an answer, even if she knew it wasn't a _huge_ deal.

I'm officially writing chapter by chapter now, so I would love to know what youre thinking. (not that i didnt before.) Oh, & why not tell me your top three bands/singers? The most mentioned is going to be used in the next chapter. ;D


	6. Figures in the Rain

Sorry for how long it took me to get this new chapter out. I've been really busy trying to learn "Simple and Clean" on the piano, and taking care of all the wigs for an up-coming cosplay. I'll try to work on getting chapters out as fast as possible, though. Thanks for your patience. 3 love you guys.

After talking for a while, Namine found a way to express how she felt, enduring the recollection of the entire situation. "I- I don't know what to do." She was still at a loss for words, her mind struggling to grasp them. "I can't start anything when I'm about to leave, can I?"

Xion shook her head in her guru sort of way. She was the hopeless romantic of the three, even though Kairi was the one with a nine month relationship. "Namine, you have feelings for him, right?"

"Yeah."

"And you want to make this work, correct?"

"Yeah, but, I'm moving. It's not that simple." Namine's eyes were eager and almost searching for a way out, a way to escape her fears of having her heart broken.

"Distance doesn't separate people, giving up does." Xion seemed very satisfied with herself, so she stood up, pulling Namine up with her. Namine complied, taking in her inky-haired friend's words. "Now, we can go walking this shit-pour, or you can wear that pretty little smile of yours and tell me all about this boy of yours." She had a whiter, purer smile than you'd expect from her dark appearance. Her skin was fair, but you wouldn't quite consider her pale.

"Shit-pour it is!" Namine yelled as she ran out of the house laughing. She loved the water striking her face and splashing off.

"We're going to have to talk about it eventually, you know!" Xion beckoned as she bolted out the door, leaving it to slam shut behind her. Her straight, short locks fixed themselves flat against her rounded head and had a glossy sheen from the glow of a nearby streetlamp.

Suddenly, lightning illuminated the cloudy sky, and almost immediately, a sharp crack of thunder split the air around them. The two girls seemed to ignore it with ease, standing silently in the rain, allowing the silence to say their words for them.

Without warning, Namine turned to Xion and actually verbalized her thoughts. "I want to try, but I'm scared."

"What is there to be scared about? From what you told me, there is no denying the connection between the both of you. That's not something you give up on." Xion had finally found a use for her insane magazine addiction.

Namine giggled as she observed her friend's outfit, fishnets practically glowing, one suspender strap stretched across the side of her bony shoulder. "How does someone so obsessed with romance hate fashion so much?"

Xion gave her look, as if to say 'I'm one in a million', but proceeded to pretend the question had never been asked. "Just answer the damn question. Why are you scared?"

"I don't want to fall in love then have to leave it behind," murmured Namine, sadness with a wisp of hatred lingering in her angelic voice. She contorted her form to try to hide the pain that was building on the inside.

"That's it; I'm meeting this boy and deciding if he's worth it, once and for all!" Xion shouted in her way of mystically combining both authority and begging to basically get whatever she wanted.

Namine rubbed her arm anxiously and bit her lip, nervously eyeing Xion. "I don't exactly know where her lives, but Kairi does."

"How does Kairi know where he lives?" Xion stood, slouched to the left with her knee bent. Water poured down on her, beading off her long, black lashes. "Namine, what aren't you telling me?"

"Well, he might, maybe, perhaps be Sora's twin brother." She turned her head down shyly, avoiding eye contact with the raven-haired girl before her.

Xion's face twisted into a shocked expression with a hint of anger hanging itself from her indigo eyes, staying there without any reason other than from being left out of the loop. "Is he or isn't he? Stop keeping things from me."

"He is, okay. He's Kairi's boyfriend's twin brother."

Xion knew exactly what this meant. This meant double dates, twin birthday parties, and couples dances. They would be going to them, but Xion would be left alone. Once spring break ended, school would be endless chatter about love, and romance, and all the stuff Xion wished she had. "Text Kairi, get his address."

Namine contemplated her friend's request, she eventually said, "How about we all get together. It would be less awkward." Before Xion could breathe a word, Namine pulled out her LG Neon and her fingers flickered across the keyboard.

xxxxXxxxxXxxxxXxxxxXxxxx

Kairi could feel her phone vibrate, so she skillfully slipped her sleek, black Palm Pixi out of her floral skirt pocket and opened her new message without ruining her fresh hot pink nail polish.

To: Kai-Kai ;D

heey kai,(: what do you think of you, me, xi-xi, sora, &roxas hitting the movies? say the word, and we'll meet you guys there.

Kairi smiled lightly, showing her crisp white teeth. She showed Sora a glimpse of the message and she caught him grin, too. His arm was wrapped warmly around her, cradling her close. Even though they had been together for what seemed like forever, he still found himself always getting lost in her deep, blue eyes.

To: Nami 3

Suuuuuuuure thing! We'll beeee there in tennn; at Soraaaa's right now. Be there soooon. ;)

Kairi pulled herself up off of the couch, letting out a little yawn as she spoke. "Hey, hun. Go get Roxas. I'll take care of the movie, 'kay?" She pushed herself onto her dainty toes and placed a light kiss on Sora's cheek. She blushed a little as a smile crept across her high cheeks, as it always did since their very first kiss. As she grabbed at the sleek, black remote and clicked the power button, she watched as The Notebook faded itself off the screen.

Rain was pounding against the windows, as it had been for hours, but Kairi hadn't noticed until just then. As Kairi stared intently out the window, she could have sworn she saw a figure walking away from the window. A flash of bright white lightning drew itself sharply across the sky and it was gone. She blinked hard, making sure she was seeing alright.

The boys' steps echoed through the house as they raced each other down the stairs, shoving back and forth. Their laughter and antics ended shortly after seeing Kairi staring out the window, distress sketched across her smooth face. Her eyebrows her knitted together, and her eyes squinted, searching through the rainy air.

"Kai, you okay?" Sora placed his hand gently on her shoulder.

She whipped around, startled. "I- I'm alright," she stammered, rubbing her eyes. "Ready to go?" Before either answered, she slipped on her hot pink raincoat. She opened the door for the two boys, and just before she followed them out, she allowed herself to take one more glimpse out the window. She thought she saw someone again, but another flash of lightning lit the air and it was gone once more.

Thanks for reading. I hope to have the next chapter out _by _the eleventh, but I really hope to get it out sooner. Reviews are encouraged, criticism is supported. ;D


	7. Complications of the Heart

The trio found their selves drenched, looking pathetic standing outside of the theater.

"Are we supposed to meet them inside, or are we supposed to wait until we drown in this rain?" Sora turned to Kairi, frustration lingering in strands of his usually soothing voice.

Before Kairi could let a word escape her strawberry lips, they saw two girls traipsing up the brick roads. The shorter one was laughing hysterically underneath her black hoodie, hidden from the water pelting itself through the cold, moist air. The taller one had an effortlessly cheerful way of walking, even as she nearly toppled over from pure amusement. The mere sound of her giggles signified to Roxas it was Naminé, despite the fact that her face was also hidden by a sweatshirt. Hers, though, was a sweet powder blue, soft and sweet. Before he knew it, they had reached Kairi, Sora and Roxas.

"Hey guys," Naminé chimed. Her smile revealed a row of bright, white teeth, causing a gleam to arise is Roxas's sapphire eyes. "What are you in the mood to see?"

Kairi beamed, finally happy to see any sort of excitement expressing itself though her friend. "Well, aren't you chipper today?" Kairi chuckled as her usual merry attitude was increased, portraying so straight through the sky blue orbs on her face.

"I guess I just love the rain." Naminé shrugged as she subtly took a step closer to Roxas. From across the circle they had only naturally found their selves forming, the raven-haired girl flipped the purple hood of her jacket back, revealing her pale face as she shot Naminé a text.

To: Nama

Okay, you have great taste in men. X.x He's so hot, where the hell has he been hiding?

As she slid away her Neon, she watched Naminé display her slim, black phone and observed her as her powder blue eyes scanned every word through the wall of pale blonde hair that hid her face from the others in the group.

To: Xi-Xi

dont get any ideas.(; ahah. but, I know, right!

As she shoved her device back into her white-lined pocket, her hood to slide off, unveiling the rest of her snowy mane to become sopping wet.

Roxas noticed Naminé shiver a little, and, not wanting her to be uncomfortable in the slightest of ways, suggested they go inside to decide on the film they wanted to see. After much debate, gabbing, and seemingly endless chatter, they all found they could bear to watch a horror film.

Sora gently clutched Kairi's hand and calmly led her down the row of collapsed maroon cushions pressed neatly against their chilled iron frames. As the bunch shuffled through, noticing they were the only one who were in the theater, pools of water formed in their footsteps. Roxas found himself in between Naminé and Xion, fidgeting around the anxiety squirming its way through his young body. As he turned towards Naminé, he noticed she was whispering something to Kairi, leaving him to strain his hearing in a useless attempt to hear her soft words.

"Hi, I'm Xion," Xion felt herself blurt out, bringing a fiery blush to her cheek like bubbles surfacing on water. A heat struck through her petite body, her fingers trembling. What the hell is happening to me? She shifted uncomfortably as she saw Roxas turn towards her.

He barely managed to say, "I'm Roxas," before the bass of the speakers surrounding them rippled through the air, splitting their voices and bringing Roxas back around in his seat.

Halfway into the movie, Naminé dismally realized why she never found herself watching scary movies. The blood, the monsters, the suspense, it all shook her to her young, fragile core. It brought out shivers and shakes, chilling every inch of her dainty body, allowing fear to creep its way up through her spine and leak into her brain. Involuntarily, she buried her eyes deep into Roxas's shoulder, trembling just from the screams filling the musty theater air. Her rosy put quivered, exposing a vulnerable essence about her.

Roxas smirked, satisfied, as he placed his course hand on her back, which was still damp from the rain. They remained in this position, slowly and steadily growing more comfortable, until calm, gentle smiles found themselves sliding onto their faces. Warmth spread between the two figures, growing and sending a tingling sensation throughout them. Before they knew it, it seemed the film had come to an end, and the lights brightened all around them. Noticing the way they were sitting, the looks upon their adolescent faces, the gleam emanating from the both of their delicate, blue eyes, they shifted into upright positions. They were stiff and awkward, occasionally glancing at each other. Nearly simultaneously, the five of them stood up.

Kairi and Sora had held hands through the entire movie, Sora trying to calm Kairi's shaken nerves. He let out a long yawn before circling back around to the others. "So, who wants some food?"

Kairi giggled easily, like she always did. "Sora! You're always hungry, you're so gonna get fat!" As she saw him push out his lower lip and give her the biggest puppy dog eyes he could make, she threw her slim arms around him and hugged him tightly.

"He's got a point," Roxas placed his hand behind his head, sheepish and timid, and turned let his oceanic eyes linger on Naminé before looking at the other girls. "What do you ladies want to eat?"

Naminé shrugged, her eyebrows raised inquisitively and poised, as if she was awaiting an important answer. She quickly lost the answer deep in her thoughts as she got caught, her gaze hooked, onto Roxas's fixated glare. What is he looking at? She followed his blank, empty stare to a smoking chimney stack.

"I could really go for some Chinese food," Xion mentioned as she timidly twisted her ankle and pouted towards the ground. Her heart skipped a beat, and she knew why. There was something about Roxas; it pierced her soul letting something new arise. She blinked hard and shook her head fiercely. Naminé likes him, leave it alone. But it didn't matter, Xion couldn't help her loose, unforgiving heart. She saw Roxas look up, and noted the connection between his and Naminé's eyes, not drifting, not straying. Her heart hurt as she sighed. She snapped back at the sound of Naminé's voice.

"Let's go! We're getting some pizza." Her warm smile lightened Xion a little as she followed behind her.


	8. Dreams and Kisses

"See you guys around!" Naminé waved gently as she turned back towards the row of large, Victorian houses in front of her. A soothed smile crept across her face, a toasty blush rising under her cheeks. Her heart was leaping, ecstatic and joyful, as she recalled the events of the day. The ground was still dank, even though the rain had stopped while they were eating, and she could feel the splash of puddles, water droplets hitting her ankles and beading off. She heard footsteps running up behind her, pounding and splashing.

She twirled around, her eyes aglow and lost inside the memory of the first night she had dreamt about Roxas. Afraid of a repeat, she shut her eyelids hard, but before she could turn back around, she felt something warm and moist against her lips. Startled, yet somehow pleasantly surprised, she didn't want her eyes to open. She didn't want to end this dream by unlocking her lashes, but she couldn't help it. Suspense was tearing her mind up, her brain uncomfortable and flustered.

Her vision revealed an oceanic blue washing over her. She soon made out the blonde spikes and metallic pendant dangling from his neck. She reluctantly, oh how reluctantly, pulled back.

"Roxas?" Her heart did about a thousand flips inside her chest as she breathed his name.

He looked bewildered and embarrassed as he took a step back, stepping into a shallow pool of water. "I'm sorry, it's just, I, I uh."

"Don't be," she said as she grabbed his hand and stared longingly into his eyes. At the moment, they were shining like porcelain in the sunset light, and Naminé couldn't stop looking at them. "It's okay." Her candied grin was masking the excited squeal echoing through her entire being.

Roxas scratched the back of his head and smiled sheepishly. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

"You definitely will." She turned away dreamily and gazed at the pink, red, and orange hues filling the sky that hung seemingly just above her head, tripping up the hill clumsily as she always did, her heart aflutter with mushy thoughts.

xXx

"The girl is the key to him," a gravelly voice echoed, repeating over and over again. "Thanks to us, they've finally found each other, and he'll do anything to stay with her."

A low, stern voice put a halt to the words revolving throughout the air. "The pieces are aligned; it is time to set it all in motion. He will soon be ours once more."

A third voice came through. It was strong, but still course. "I still don't see why we don't just take Roxas." Naminé gasped, her heart dropping, when she heard the familiar sound of his voice.

"Because, you fool, every time we do, he fights back," the deep voice snapped harshly. "He wouldn't dare fight back if we were to threaten his precious love."

A wall of black covered Naminé's view. She screamed, but no sound came out. Tears flooded out of her piercing eyes, her breaths pushed out as she dropped to the ground, landing angrily on her knees. All of their voices, their remarks, the discussion, they all swirled around her, battering her mind and racking her heart until she felt herself losing air. Water still rushed down her pale cheeks as her heavy sobs thrust her forward.

_He will soon be ours._

_The girl is the key._

_He wouldn't dare fight back._

_Roxas. _

As his name pelted into her heart, she found herself falling into darkness.

She screamed with everything she had, bolting upright. Her covers flew off of her bed. Her cheeks were still moist, and her forehead beaded with sweat.

That wasn't a dream, it couldn't have been. It was too real.

Not long after she wiped her troubled face did she hear her door swing open. Through it came a beautiful, dark-haired woman quickly followed by a blonde man.

"Naminé! Honey, are you alright?" The woman swept to the Naminé's side, holding her close as she examined her shaking body. She turned back towards the man, her eyes deep and scared. "Cloud, dear, get her some ice water, would you?"

"Of course, Tifa." His eyes were a match to his daughter's as torment and distress dusted across them. The stairs creaked as he stepped slowly down them.

The young girl opened her mouth to speak, but not a word could escape her lips. She trembled fiercely in her mother's arms. As she buried her head into her, she could feel a hand on her back. She turned to reveal a glass filled with crystal clear water and ice floating through it.

"Thank you, daddy," she breathed as she grabbed for it. She gritted her teeth before sipping from the chilled glass. They sat for nearly ten minutes, not even letting breathing break the silence.

Eventually, Naminé spoke. "I'll be okay. I need to shower." After exchanging shaky glances and 'I love you's, she did as she showered herself off, relief trickling down her spine and giving her time to think. She silently slid into a soft, blue v-neck over a lacy black camisole and a pair of white skinny jeans. Walking back to her bathroom, she wrapped her delicate fingers around her black color-liner and created a line across both bottom and top lids. After swiping her mascara on, she tore through her closet looking for her knee-high black flat-boots. Gingerly, she slid down the column just holding up her large, open balcony.

Her naturally straight hair blew in the breeze and swung neatly over her right shoulder, still damp. She started out of her back lawn and towards Kairi's house. Even though it was about Roxas, she could only bring herself to tell Kairi about her dream, as if she were the only person in the world who could possibly understand.

_To: Kai Kai ;D_

_Kairi, you free? I seriouslly need someone to talk to. d; _

Soon after she had shoved her phone back deep into her pocket, she felt it vibrate once more. The message read.

_From: Kai Kai ;D_

_Noooo problem. Meet me by the station. Something wrooooong?_

Naminé nodded to herself, as if Kairi had been standing right next to her. "Something's very wrong."

* * *

Sorry it came out so late, I really am. super-duper busssy, yah know? d;

anyway, ive already started on the next chapter, so it's sure to be out far faster. but for today, i would like to know your top five most inspirational songs. x3

mine.  
1.) concrete angel - martina mcbride  
2.) look on the brightside - nevershoutnever  
3.) holding out for a hero - frou frou  
4.) what is love? - nevershoutnever  
5.) love is our weapon - nevershoutnever

as you can tell, i find him rather inspirational. x3 reviewers get sneak peeks! ;D


	9. Failed Judgement

Naminé and Kairi swung their long, feminine legs over the edge of the clock tower, licking their bare popsicle sticks.

Kairi was deeply focused on Naminé, her face scrunched in an attempt to understand what it was she was saying. "So, how are you so sure it wasn't a dream?" Eventually realizing her lack of ice cream, she tossed the stick, completely care-free, into the air and watched it plummet downwards.

"I honestly don't know. It was too real, but like _I _wasn't really there. It was just happening and somehow I saw it." Naminé furrowed her brow as she searched for some way to explain it. She could tell that Kairi got it anyway, so she gave up.

As they continued their discussion, Kairi became worried. She knew a lot of the trouble Roxas got into, Sora was involved in, too, and vice versa. "Well, what are we going to do?"

"That's the hard part." She stared into the distance, contemplating options.

xXx

Xion desperately scrolled through her phone contacts, searching for someone worth texting. She had tried Kairi: No reply. For obvious reasons, she didn't quite feel up to talking to Naminé. The only thing she could take solace in was the fact that nothing was official. Naminé may have liked Roxas, but she was unsure of whether or not he reciprocated her feelings. If only she had been looking when Naminé was walking, then she wouldn't be filled to the brim with false hopes, ready to spew out of her heart and take over her mind. Falling too hard, once again.

_Why the hell did he have such a hold on her? _The question haunted and hurt her, throwing her into a tailspin.

"Screw it, I'm getting out of here." She announced her decision to the empty hallways of her townhouse, knowing full well her father was passed out on the couch and was completely unable to hear her.

The sun beamed down from the sky, shining as if it felt the need to make up for the days it had hid its happy glow from the skies of Twilight Town. Xion's black heeled boots clicked against the road, and even the sound rang in a dejected tone. She headed towards Station Heights to grab some sea salt ice-cream. Unaware of and indifferent toward her surroundings, she stared at the bricked ground.

"Hey Xion." The sing-song voice was familiar to her, even heartwarming. Pieces of her hair fell into her face as she glanced up, her eyes lit. Before her stood a tall boy adorned in dark, slightly loose denim and a red v-neck sweater. "That _is _your name, right?"

"Yeah," was the only word able to escape Xion's mouth.

"Good, because I would feel so dumb if it wasn't." Roxas let out a little chuckle along with a smile which made Xion melt a little inside. A spiky metallic pendant dangled orund his throat, glinting in the sunlight. How Xion just wanted to pull it away and kiss his neck until he loved her.

She was dazed, captivated. "Uh, okay."

Roxas just stood there. His smile was a wall of white, and his eyes shields of aqua. "I was just on my way to get some ice-cream, you wanna come?"

"I'd love to," Xion exclaimed with too much joy. As they walked, she could hear her heart pounding a mile a minute. A content smirk found its way to her face from the thought that Naminé wasn't with him, but she was. Idle chatter and giggles clouded the air surrounding them, blocking out the sounds of the bustling town.

Roxas's thoughts drifted to Naminé during a brief moment of silence. _If you're friends with _her_ friends, she'll like you more, right? _Confused, cluttered, and spaced out, he searched for ways of getting closer to the girl of his heart. He was blind to the one in front of him, pining crazily for him. All he could see was a nice girl who was friends with someone he couldn't shake from his mind. He was staring into Xion's eyes, but all he saw were the sky blue irises of Naminé.

Misreading his stare, only seeing the love behind it, Xion leaned closer to him through the silence. Her lips lingered, waiting for his to connect them. He was still zoned out, unaware, so she closed the gap herself. Her friend flashed through her mind, but she didn't care. In her eyes, it was about time something went her way, and there were plenty of guys left for Naminé. Roxas, still seeing Naminé in the other girl, didn't stop her at first, but he quickly realized the situation and pulled back.

"Xion!" he gasped. "What are you doing?"

Xion reeled back, mortified. "You, I, I don't understand." Tears moistened her eyes and slipped across her bottom lashes. Her lungs heaved and she took off running, throwing her ice cream to the ground. With no set direction, she noticed her arrival in station heights. She turned her breaking body towards the clock tower, hoping for an escape, but only revealed her two best friends, one who she had just unsuccessfully betrayed, cheerful and deep in discussion.

They broke themselves from this mood to wave down at the girl, a girl who wasn't quite who they thought, and motioned for her to join them. What was she to do; they couldn't know anything was wrong, because she'd then have to tell them what _was _wrong. All she could do was wave back, smile, and pretend she had somewhere to be. She stepped into the station, pulling herself, tears and all, to the ticket booth. She bought herself a ticket to the beach and rode away with all of her problems.

xXx

"I wonder where she's off to," Kairi stated with a questioning grin. Her red hair blew in the breeze, carrying the citrus scent of her conditioner into the air.

Naminé laughed to herself, finally cheerful and carefree. "Probably anywhere she wants. Lucky." She spun around to face the large clock face behind her. "Oh wow, it's already twelve twenty-seven. Time flies, huh?"

Kairi shot up onto her feet. "What? God damn it, I'm supposed to meet Sora for a picnic on Sunset Hill at twelve thirty!" She quickly hugged her friend good-bye and ran off.

Now alone, Naminé recalled what she had said to Roxas the day before, and desperately wanted to see him. She sent him a text, longing for a chance to see him once more.

_To: Roxas. x3_

_wanna hang, or something?_

To her relief, it wasn't long before her screen read:

_From: Roxas. x3_

_Sounds awesome. :)_

* * *

Thank you guys for reading& all of your support. Im probably going to end up putting chapters out slower, because school is about to start, my friend and I are about to start a youtube channel, and we have almost enough money to start our cosplay. x/3 I promise to at least work on it a little every day.

New Chapter Nine Question! What are your top five favorite bands/singers? I know, sometimes it's so hard to choose. Personally:

1.) Panic! at the Disco  
2.) I Love Monsters  
3.) nevershoutnever  
4.) Stereo Skyline  
5.) All Time Low

x3 there you have it, see you next chapter.


	10. Bitch in Black

The bench Naminé and Roxas had sat on was small, leaving them to sit shoulder to shoulder. Secretly, both of them were happy with their seating choice, but wouldn't reveal it to the other. Silence never fell for long they always had something to say, having every little thing in common.

Naminé's mind suddenly stopped, recalling every scene, every emotion, every last word of the dream she had. "I have to go." She stood up abruptly turned to Roxas.

Naminé didn't want to, didn't know how to, explain what had happened. She wanted to know if it really was more than a dream, but couldn't stand even the chance of Roxas thinking she was weird, or freaky. She didn't need a repeat. An idea forming inside of her, she grabbed the miniature sketch pad and pencil she always carried with her from deep inside her white pocket.

"Do you know these people?" She quickly composed three cloaked figures, remembering seeing them in slight flashes in the beginning. Silver chains dangled around their necks and from their hoods. The last strokes were made and she turned to show Roxas the image, but his eyes had already grown wide with fear.

"Tell me, how do you know them?" His voiced crack as the words tumbled out of his mouth, terror painted fiercely across his face. His eyes were dusted with concern and what seemed to be tears.

Naminé quickly matched his expression, but with more confusion. "Roxas, please explain what's going on," she cried desperately.

"Naminé, you _need _to tell me how you know these people." When they're eyes met, they connected. Naminé knew what she had to do, without a shred of doubt remaining in her mind. From there, she divulged her dream, every last detail she could remember.

Roxas's hand was supporting his head as he attempted to make sense of it all. It was real, he could feel it, too. _What the hell were they going to do? _"Well, I can tell you who it is, from what you have told me. Their names are Xigbar, Xaldin, and Saïx."

Naminé's throat felt as if it was sealed, and her heart was beating faster by the second. Without looking at him, she said, "Roxas, you know them don't you?" Her skin was even whiter than normal, giving her an eerie, ghostly appearance. "Why are they after you?"

Instead of answering her, he took her in his arms and merely whispered, "I'll protect you, no matter what. That's a promise." They kissed passionately and fervidly, as if to seal the deal.

They were unaware of a pair of jealous, indigo eyes staring them down, planning, and plotting.

xXx

The day had passed. Naminé had successfully snuck out once more, completely unnoticed. She was lieft in a dream-like state until her phone buzzed next to her.

_From: Xi Xi_

_I herd Rikus coming 2 town tmrw. :3 Gonna tel him bout ROXAS?_

Anger and hurt flashed across her face when the text beamed into her vision.

_To: Xi Xi_

_what's he gonna do about it? _

Naminé rolled her eyes heavily at the thought of her past relationship, a horribly failed one. She recalled the happy times they had together, the horrible fights about Naminé's "visions". _Looks like he was wrong. _It wasn't long until she felt the vibration against her leg once more, and she slid her device back into her hand.

_From: Xi-Xi_

_I her he wnts you back. ;) I no u rly luvd him nd you 2 nu each other so well._

Naminé sat straight up in her bed, started, amazing, shocked. She recollected the break-up. The way he took her hand, the way he said "I love you", the way he told her that is "just wasn't working". She knew that wasn't it. She knew it was because he was scared, freaked out, by her dreams. She snapped back to reality from the sound of her phone.

_From: Xi-Xi_

_u there? _

She replied that she was, but immediately after texted Kairi.

_To: Kai-Kai! ;D_

_Is Riku really coming back?_

Naminé's heart sunk, thinking about how hurt she was, but she didn't have long to think about it before she had a message from Xion sitting in her inbox.

_From: Xi-Xi_

_u gonna giv him another chance?:|_

Still no reply from Kairi. Naminé stared at the ceiling, hoping Xion was wrong.

xXx

Xion smiled to herself. She didn't know what she would do tomorrow, when he came, but not with the same intentions she had led Naminé to believe. But for now, she wouldn't have a thought of Roxas. Kicking a pebble from her path, she stood on sunset hill and watched Sora and Kairi walking home. _I'm going to have that; I'm going to have love. _She reached for her phone and punched in the number with her gloved hands. The black and red stripes flurried across the keys, words forming on her glowing screen.

_To: Mine, only mine. X3_

_its Xion, we srsly need to talk. Its bout Naminé, she cudnt do it, so I have 2._

She felt victorious, strong. She had tricked herself into thinking she was helping Naminé by bringing her and Riku together, but inside, deep inside, she knew it was only because she wanted Roxas to herself.

_From: Mine, only mine. X3_

_Uh, ok. Meet at Sunset Terrace?_

Time to initiate phase three of her plan, she retype Naminé's number and smiled grimly, pushing the letters in fiercely.

_To: The Loser._

_cum 2 sunset terrace to tlk? so important._

After receiving the approval of her old friend, she headed towards the meeting place. Something hurt in her stomach; she knew it was regret. _No, Naminé has Riku, I have no one._ She pressed on, continuing with the plan. Eventually, she arrived at Sunset terrace, and she could see Roxas waiting on her.

She waved happily, forgetting for a moment the "news" she was bringing him. The stood when they met, silent at first. Xion loved being this close to him. She loved sharing his air; she loved smelling the cologne on his black Attack! Attack! T-shirt.

"Xion, could you please just tell me what Naminé said?" Roxas look troubled and worried.

She pulled out an index card, not letting him see it was completely blank. "These are her words, but I don't exactly understand them. 'Roxas, I care about you so much, but I can't do this any longer. I'm scared, and this is too much trouble. I'm not looking for a project.'" But, before she could finish, she noticed a tear coming up into Roxas's beautifully blue eye, and she saw the hurt glinting off in the sunlight. It rolled off his cheek and hit the ground.

She swore she heard him utter, "I knew my past would do this eventually." She reached for the pack of tissues in her pocket and pulled one out. Instead of handing one to him, she wiped the water off his face herself. In the distance, she could see Naminé walking toward them. Before thinking, she pushed her lips hard against his.

He stood, shocked. _Had they not been through this before? _But he couldn't push her off, because she beat him to it.

"Roxas, stop," she shouted far louder than necessary while running away. As his eyes followed her, they landed on a blonde girl in a navy and brown skirt not far away. Her brown leather boot took a step back and she took hold of the sight.

He heard her say, "Is that your way of protecting me?" before she turned away, eyes filled with tears and trying to swallow her sobs.

"Naminé!" he called, but it was too late; she had already went in the direction of the inky-haired girl in the black tutu. His heart fell to the bottom of his stomach, emotions swirling in every direction and breaking apart any part of his life that made sense any more. All he knew was that he longed for the touch, the sweet embrace of the pale-skinned, blonde, blue-eyed girl, but any chances of that may have been ruined.

* * *

Okay, so i would have uploaded this yesterday, but it just didnt seem right, seeing as it was akuroku day. d;  
yes, my best friend does love akuroku XP

anyhow, here it is, chapter 10. this chapter's question: how do you feel about akuroku?  
1.) "I can live with it."  
2.) "Somebody get me a gun!"  
3.) "Love it!"

-note from the bestfriend  
Pick number threeeee!(: Say you love it I know i doo! And I'll love you!(:


	11. The Truth Behind the Girl

_To: Kairi_

_Kai, you have to get Naminé to stay at Sunset Station. Please!_

Roxas held his phone in his hand as he raced after Naminé, calling her name over and over, screaming until he ran out of breath. Still, he moved as fast as he his message tone, he stopped, jerking forward. He read it with misty eyes.

_From: Kairi_

_whateeeevver you say, captain mysterioouuuus. Wannnnna tell mee whats goiiiing on?_

He quickly thanked Kairi, and continued toward the station, but he didn't need to go all the way there before he ran into Naminé sitting next to a lamp post, crying.

Roxas knelt down next to her, but she pushed him aside. "The only reason I'm still here is 'cause I ran into the post when Kairi texted me, okay?" Her cheeks were fully flushed and dripping as tears flowed down them, strong as waterfalls. "I get it, I do. She isn't clumsy like me. She isn't shy, she's unique, and she is super funny. I hope you two are happy together."

Refusing to be pushed away, Roxas sat close to her and placed his hand gently on her shoulder. "What are you talking about?"

She threw her head down, trying her very best to hide from him. "You like Xion, I should have figured when you sat next to her at the movies."

"Xion?" He exclaimed, surprised. "What? No. Don't you remember who _else_ I was next to? And besides, you were about to leave me." Roxas recalled the words Xion read him, killing him with each syllable escaping her thin lips.

Naminé thrust her head upwards, astonished and perplexed. "When was I going to leave _you_?" The wind blew, caressing the warm water shimmering against her cooling cheeks. She had finally stopped crying, but her throat still burned and she still wanted to cry. "Look, stop trying to blame me and just go." Her words were heavy on the both of them.

"I'm not blaming you. If anything, I blame myself for putting you in this position. I understand why you feel the way you do."

"Well, yeah! I actually thought there was something there, but I guess there really wasn't!" Naminé came dangerously close to reopening the just closing wounds, choking on her words as she shouted them, trying to push it all away. "I guess I was just another girl to kiss."

"That's not true at all! Every time I'm with you, I feel this connection, like we can see into each other's hearts. I feel safe, like my past has been erased, and there's only future. A future with us, like we're meant to be together," He paused realizing how vulnerable everything he had just said made him, and he was uncomfortable and even scared of what Naminé could have been thinking. "But what Xion was just telling me," but, before he could finish, he was interrupted by Naminé.

"You fell for her, too? Did you feel safe with her? Did what she told you just wipe me out of your mind?" Naminé only half-felt these words as she yelled them. She could sense something, something strange. She didn't feel good about what was happening. Xion _had _been acting strangely since she met Roxas. Also, she was the reason both of them were there. But she couldn't believe it was Xion, they were too close. "What was she saying?"

Roxas gave her a look that expressed everything she was feeling. The suspicion, the doubt, the wonder, and the hope all brought into one emotion. He tried to resume what he was saying before her outburst. "She was telling me you weren't looking for a project, that you were too scared, but she never actually finished."

Naminé stood up, throwing her arm down, frustrated. "I never said that," she exclaimed. "Any of it!" Suddenly, she understood and it all fell into place. Xion had arranged it. She made them go to the same place, Naminé seeing them kiss, trying to make Roxas think she wouldn't care, acting like she didn't want any of it to happen, it was all part of a plan to separate them.

"But," Roxas wasn't quite picking up on it, while Naminé was so scared of being tricked by someone she barely knew that it worked against her, Roxas may have believed too much in people. "Xion isn't a bad person."

Naminé looked to the ground. Memories sailed through her, for she was well aware he was right. She saw the time they went to the beach when they were five, she saw them dancing in Xion's room until two in the morning. Finally, she saw them walking home in their school uniforms. "No, but she _is_ a jealous person." Now, she remembered how Xion always wanted what Naminé had. Her toys, her clothes, even her parents were envied by Xion.

"Shit, I have school tomorrow. I have to go." She took his large hand and held it with both of hers, playing with his fingers before looking truly and deeply into his eyes. "If you keep your promise, I promise I will never let you go."

He looked back at her, intensifying the air around them, and simply said, "I love you."

Naminé had never believed in love happening so fast. She hated the clichés and all the false judgments teenagers made. Usually, she hated two people saying love so early, but she knew for a fact that there was no other word for the sensation they shared when they were around each other. The three words had never had more meaning; they had never been this important or real. Electricity flowed all around them, circling their hearts and tying them together until they stood, hand in hand, with synced heartbeats. "I love you, too." Naminé didn't want to, but she knew she had to leave.

xXx

The school bells rang, sharp and shrill, just as Naminé had remembered it. The sound echoed on her mind like it was just yesterday she was here. Fall break flushed itself away, lost out of her mind. Across the hall, she noticed Xion was talking to Kairi. Neither of them caught her glare, casted with disdain, perhaps even hatred, spiraling through the air and spearing through Xion. She shuddered in remembrance of last night, betrayed, ruined, hurt.

She started on her way to choral music, fully aware that she would be forced to endure this entire class, Xion standing by her side, without lashing out, without yelling or screaming. It was up to her to stay calm and attempt to be strong, even though she had never been good about hiding her emotions. Being the better person was a trying task, everywhere she turned she felt the internal burns from the previous night heating and rising, ablaze in her soul. She found as she strode into the room, something was different. Her usual raven-haired, frosty teacher no longer stood at the front of the classroom. Instead, there was a tall, gorgeous man with a dusty blonde Mullet Mohawk. He was much like Miss White, but he had a warmer, flowing way about him that was extremely calming, and she actually found herself in a better mood after just one look.

* * *

Okay, so this chapter made me sososo happy to write, because you can t.o.t.a.l.l.y. tell who this new teacher is. x3 yes, he is my favorite character in the game. anyway...

i really hope you enjoy this chapter, and today's question shall be about... hmmmm... MOVIES! XD

name your top five, rapid fire, pretty please. *pouty lip*

1.)Band Slam  
2.)Edward Scissorhands  
3.)Coraline  
4.)Alice in Wonderland (Tim Burton re-make & cartoon are tied)  
5.)The Fox& the Hound.


	12. Words Unsaid

"I'm Mr. Arpeggiora." His sing-song voice bounced off the walls of the small room, acoustics enhancing the beautiful melodious ring under his voice, as he flashed a dazzling white smile that made several girls let out stifled sighs. "Miss White won't be in for a week or two, so I'll be subbing for her."

His graceful movements captivated many as he scrawled his name across the board. Finally taking her eyes off the man standing in the front of the room, Naminé noticed a bit of saliva on Xion's lower lip. Disgusted, she switched her stare to Kairi. Why she hadn't told Kairi of what Xion did, she didn't know, but she wasn't quite sure if she _wanted _to tell her.

Mr. Arpeggiora had a beautiful flush to his cheeks that lay softly against his ever-so-gently tanned skin. His aqua eyes glistened in the flickering lights of the choir classroom, glinting off and on. Something tickled the back of Naminé's brain, a familiar feeling swirling through her body, from the tips of her fingers to the heels of her feet. She sat through the class, trying to identify what she was feeling. In what felt like minutes, the sharp ring of the school bell split the calm mood of the students and they all stood up to leave.

"Naminé!" she heard someone behind her cry out. "I need to talk to you!"

She turned around, only to find it was Xion. Unable to control the hate burning inside her, she yelled, "What do you want?"

Xion looked shocked to hear the fierce pain in her friend's voice, but she figured it was from the rough break-up they must have had the night before. "I heard about you and Roxas. Tough break, but Riku's still," but she was interrupted by the scene of Naminé throwing her books to the ground.

"Look! Roxas and I are still together, and you need to keep your nasty hands off of him, bitch!" The words poured from her mouth like they never had before. Her overly angst-filled ways took over and brought a tone to her voice never heard before. "You can try all you want, but nothing's going happen between you two, nothing. Do you understand me?" Tears welled up in her piercing blue eyes, but not from sadness, but from pure outrage. "N-O-T-H-I-N-G!"

"But- but Naminé," Xion's voice cracked, and she had never before felt so horrible, so wicked. "I- I didn't want to hurt you." Talking became harder as her throat began to close. "I- I don't know why I would do that! Please, please forgive me." She could no longer speak due to the sobs thrusting her forward. The hallways were in a standstill, and nobody dared to breathe.

Tears burned down her crimsoned cheeks. Naminé took a breath in, working to calm herself. She was never very forgiving, and easily gave in to her emotions, and this moment was a strong case of that. She had got herself to stop yelling, but her voice was still stern. "No, I've been a dumbass before, but I'm done forgiving you. This was too far," she said just low enough for only Xion to hear. After saying all she needed to say, she gathered her books and headed to the exit door of the building, but someone grabbed her arm, someone with a tight grip.

"What?" she yelled as she twisted back around. When she turned, she saw that everyone was still standing there, but the person grabbing her was Mr. Arpeggiora. Regret filled her eyes, wishing she hadn't snapped at an innocent person. Slowly, the crowd faded as teachers pulled everyone but Xion and Kairi away. "Look, I just have to go home."

The teacher's eyes broke any frustration left within her. "It's okay, we just want to talk." He grinned sheepishly and calmingly, letting Naminé know it was all alright. He was such a convivial soul, Naminé couldn't help but trust him. As she walked with him to the front office, she caught a glimpse to who was waiting there for her. She noticed a brunette who had been standing by Kairi and Xion, but she had walked away. She recognized the girl from the day at the beach. _Olette, that's her name. _

When they got closer, Naminé began to feel trapped; her breaths became shorter, choppier, and her forehead was lightly beaded with sweat. Kairi would hate her, and she couldn't lose another best friend. But, she also noticed Xion was still crying, and Kairi wasn't standing behind her, rubbing her back like she used to do to calm them down, and this gave Naminé a sense of hope. As she walked into the room, she could see that Kairi's character wasn't quite angry or sad, but confused and a little annoyed, leaving Naminé curious of what she could be thinking of.

A rigid-looking man was standing by the door, next to the principal's desk. Red spikes of hair were sticking straight back from his head in an intriguing, sexy way. Naminé didn't recognized, so she figured he was just a substitute, just like Mr. Arpeggiora. She noticed they were both wearing white button down shirts and black shirts, their ties and cufflinks consisted of the same symbol. _What are they? Are they anchors?_ The only difference between the two were the fact that Mr. Arpeggiora's tie and cufflinks matched the sea glass shine of his eyes, while the mystery man's were a fiery red, equivalent to his hair.

"Where's Dr. Gainsborough?" she heard Xion ask him, though her words were muffled by sobs.

The other teacher's voice was deep and strong as it replied slowly, "Mrs. Gainsborough is out today, so I will be her substitute. I am Mr. Chackrah." His movements were smooth, and he had a powerful, cocky air about him. Naminé caught him give Mr. Arpeggiora a knowing look, one that seemed to show there was more to it than he let on.

Mr. Arpeggiora began to say," Now, none of you are in trouble." He smiled comfortingly, relaxing the three girls and releasing them from their stiff, tense positions. He had a light-hearted way about him, it seemed to wipe any frustration, any discomfort from a room. "We just want to sort out what exactly happened out there."

Mr. Chackrah sneered heavily in his direction. "What he means, is that we _need_ to know what caused this fight. Scuffles will not be tolerated, do you understand?" He seemed to stare directly at Naminé, leaving her with a heavy heart.

"Yes sir," the trio chimed, heads down and eyes averted. None of them dared to look him directly in his gloriously green eyes.

Kairi would have asked why she was even in the office, considering she wasn't even involved in the dispute, but she was absorbed in the feeling she had seen the spiky haired man before. She dared not say a word of it though, due to the situation.

"It was my fault," Xion suddenly burst out. "I provoked her, and I more than deserved what I got." Remorse filled the young girl's heart. "If anyone to blame, it's me."

Naminé's eyes grew wide when these words grazed her elf-like ears. She turned to the indigo-eyed girl in an identical uniform to hers. "What are you doing?" she asked grimly.

Xion looked deep into Naminé's eyes, searching for any sign of forgiveness. "Trying to fix something I broke."

* * *

gahr, i apologize for making anybody feel bad for Xion. I just felt like I was begining to make Namine a Mary-Sue, so guess who has forgivness issues and anger management problems! XD oh well, that'll come in later to be an issue.(; oh! and, reviewers get super special sneak peeks of chapter thirteen, so let those fingers flutter!

question time: if you were a member of the organization, what would you what element would you control?  
personally; i bet you i'd have a bow and arrow and id have the ability to control the weather. maybe, i dont actually know?

^super grammar fail after note! XD


	13. Forgiveness Burns

The room was still and silent, except the bubbling of the fish tank motor, churning and churning. Mr. Arpeggiora had been kneeling beside it, but as soon as Xion's words left her mouth, he hoisted himself up on to the large mahogany desk that Mr. Chackrah sat behind and stared thoughtfully at Xion.

"What did you break, Xion? That is, if you don't mind me asking," he added with a warm smile.

Xion hung her head down once more, remembering the accounts of last night. "I broke two relationships. One out of jealousy, the other out of stupidity and blindness." If she had turned her head to the left, she would have seen Naminé gawking into the distance, struck by Xion's revelation of what she had done wrong.

"You act so sorry now, but I bet you wouldn't have cared it I hadn't found out," she asserted fiercely. "Everything would be perfect in your little world. It's all about Xion in there, isn't it?"

At last, Kairi spoke up. "Can somebody _please_ tell me what is happening here?"

Without hesitating, Xion explained with three simple words. "I love Roxas."

Both teachers tried to hide their astonished gasps as they drew back. They tried to recompose themselves. "Who is this Roxas character?" he asked with an ever-so-slightly illusive tone.

This time, Naminé answered. "My boyfriend, he's my boyfriend," she snapped sassily. "He also happens to be the guy that Xion _attempted _to steal from me." She casted a menacing glare out to Xion, sending a shiver down her spine.

"What?" Kairi shrieked. She whipped around, her plaid blue tie flipping over. "Xion, why would you do that?"

Mr. Chackrah immediately stood from his chair. "Mr. Arpeggiora, would you please take Xion and Kairi to another room so Xion can explain what happened, since I'm pretty sure Naminé knows?"

"But"

"Now," he commanded. His voice was harsh and firm, giving the tall, slim man the sign to just agree and take the two girls aside. Once they were out of ear shot, he spoke once more. "Naminé, you need to understand. You and Roxas can't be together, not if either of you value your lives here in Twilight Town." His face was bright and young, but his voice was mature as he spoke.

"What? I don't understand." Suddenly, she realized what was happening. "Is this about the dream?"

He looked to the ground. "Okay, I know everything about the dream, your relationship, and the danger ahead. Simply, my name is Axel." He sat in the chair Xion had been sitting and took her hand, the emerald shine of his eyes plunging into her own. "You can_not _stay with him, got it memorized?"

Naminé's lip quivered from the sound, she simply muttered words to herself as her eyes became heavily misted. She pouted to herself, not letting Axel get a glimpse of her distress.

He could feel her depression, knowing the connection between the two teenagers. "Once this is all over, I will come back to tell you. I will tell you when you guys can be together once more."

Before he could continue, his colleague came striding through the door followed by a reddened Kairi and a tearing Xion. "I'm pretty sure this is worse than before," he mentioned shakily while gesturing to the pair behind him. There was black eyeliner smeared across her crisp, white sleeve.

"Demyx, what needed to be done is done. We're finished." He stood up from the cushioned chair, as if ready to just walk away.

Demyx's was laced with distress as he replied, "We're just leaving her?" He looked at Naminé, displaying his anguish to the entirety of the small chamber. He put his hand on her shoulder and looked desperately into Axel's eyes, looking for anything to say 'Let's take her back to the castle and keep her safe,'

"Dem, she'd be exactly where they wanted her; it would be a thousand times worse." Noticing the girls were sitting right under them, staring in both amazement and confusion, he transferred the conversation to them. "Now, the three of you go into that room and you work this out." He pointed a long, slim finger in the direction of a dark, wooden door.

Naminé seemed disturbed by this idea, mostly because she wanted to know what was going on, but still because of the burning hate she was growing for Xion. "But," but she was cut off.

"It's best for the three of you to sort out your feelings freely, without pressures of adults around you."

Demyx stared soulfully, apologetically at the blonde slowly rising from her seat. "Trust me, things would be better without boys anyway." He tried to muster a warm smile at her, but he simply couldn't once he saw a single tear roll sluggishly down her cheek. From that point on, the girls moved silently into the room that was surprisingly bigger than Dr. Gainsborough's office. It was cold, though, and had a large, round, wooden table in the center of a tan carpet.

Six red, plastic chairs were set around the table, and they each pulled one out, nobody sitting right next to another, and sat down. Kairi was the first to speak. "Naminé, can you please tell me what they were talking about? Why wouldn't you tell us something was wrong?"

"Kairi," Naminé said while lifting her head up, her eyes meeting Kairi's. "It's the dream, it was all real, everything." She tried with all her might to keep her voice from cracking. "Mr. Chackrah said I can't be with him anymore."

Xion's heart lifted at these words, though she struggled to suppress it. There was no use, still. He was all she ever thought about, so much so she risked one of the greatest friendships she ever had. "Why?" was all she could manage to ask.

"It's none of your concern," Naminé snapped. "It obviously doesn't matter to you if I was with him or not."

Kairi began to feel bad for Xion. "Naminé, knock it off, okay? Just tell me your side of the story before Xion starts bawling again."

She couldn't refuse the chance to get every event, every last word, out in the open, no matter how demanding and bossy Kairi sounded. Every sentence poured from her lips, deliberate and meaningful. After she felt she said all she could, she turned to Xion, sass in her eyes and a vengeful grin quivering on her lips, ready to break out in satisfaction. "Any objections?"

"No, not one." She avoided eye contact, because hearing what she had done penetrated her soul, letting her plans sink through her heart and break through the haze that had formed around her brain. "I'm a bitch, and I can admit it."

Kairi arched her brow, scrawling the image of confusions all across her figure, as she shifted her position. "So, basically, you created and entire scheme simply to screw over your best friend. Do correct me if I'm wrong."

Naminé turned to Xion, her arms crossed and agitation etched across her face. She awaited an answer from the girl with inky locks. The conversation flowed, Xion repenting all along the way. School bells rang, but they weren't ever permitted to leave the room, so they sat and talked, urging Naminé to forgive and to move on. The sound of dismissal cut through their soft, gentle whispers, so they began to gather their stuff. Straightening their uniforms, they glanced at each other, exchanging the feeling of awkwardness and distance.

"Do you guys want to grab some coffee?" Xion asked shyly, immediately regretting putting herself out there.

To her relief, Kairi smiled warmly and nodded her approval. Still, Naminé held onto her answer, determining if she should waste what little forgivness and patience she had, or if she should keep it for something else.

* * *

So, I'm feeling dreadfully void of Roxas, but I _promise _he's in the next chapter! Super duper pinky swear!

anyhow, reviewers get sneak peeks of chapter 14. so please review, pretty pretty please!  
also, school has started, and so has babysitting, so it'll probably be a weekend update sort of thing. d; I hate it, and I can't wait until any break, because I will be writing as much as possible!

question time! (my favorite question) Who is your favorite Organization XIII member?

! XD x3


	14. Insane Sights

Naminé couldn't leave someone she had been so close to for so long alone; she couldn't let everything they once had go. "I'll meet you guys in a little while." She attempted a calm, sincere smile, but it was obviously false. Pretending to overlook the entire situation wasn't going to be an easy task.

She pressed through the double doors, already headed for Twilight High, the public high school just down the road from Destiny Prep. Her breaths were short and concerned, her mind teetering on everything Axel had said to her, down to the very last word. How was she supposed to tell Roxas? Should she even bother? She knew it would be far too difficult, but something about the sincerity in Axel's voice told her that there was no other option left, no matter where she looked or what she tried, this was it.

All the thoughts passing through her brain, clouding her actual mind, she hadn't realized she was standing, blank and aloof, in front of the large, cast-iron gates of Twilight High School. A school bang rang in the direction of the building, but it wasn't nearly as sharp or high-pitched as the one in her school. What appeared to be five seconds later, a flow of teenagers poured through the entry ways. She rushed over to the sidewalk across the road as the gates swung wide open, her eyes scanning the crowd for the blonde boy.

A hand rested itself on her shoulder. Startled, she gasped and twirled around, her hair cascading in her face. To her relief, it was the boy she was looking for. He gazed lovingly and cheerfully at her, a bright smile spreading across his face.

"Roxas," she muttered. She didn't know how to begin, or if she even wanted to. _Get it out, and then you can explain. _"I think, I think we should stop seeing each other. As in, cut all ties."

Distress and anguish flashed across Roxas's face, but it quickly faded to dejection and heartache. "Naminé," he hesitated. "Where, where is this coming from?" He took her hand in his. She waited a moment before retrieving it, wishing she didn't have to.

"A man, he, he told me we were in danger." She averted her eyes, knowing all she wanted was to throw herself into his arms and stay there forever. "He told me that we'd be safer if we were apart."

"What did he look like?"

"He had really bright green eyes, and flame red hair, and," but she stopped talking, noticing the way Roxas was looking at her. "What's wr-?"

She was cut off by his finger pressing gently on her peachy lips, silencing her down to her breath. "We should trust him. Axel knows what he's talking about."

Naminé pulled his finger away and shoved her hands in the front pocket of his red hoodie. She shivered as a chilly wind wound itself through the air and she pressed her blonde head against his chest before speaking again. She tilted her head and admired his eyes with all of her heart. No matter how much her mind was flustered and uncontrolled, her heart always told her she would be alright, but she still couldn't supress the earge to ask, "How do you know?"

He placed his hands gently on her head, pulling her tight and close. "Will you just trust me?"

"Always."

They sat there for a moment, but they both knew they would have to leave, have to forget about each other. Without breathing another word, Naminé kissed Roxas one last time, and simply left. Saying anything else would hurt them too much, good-bye being far too painful to manage to slip from either of them.

xXx

Naminé hadn't touched her mocha, and both Kairi and Xion had taken full notice, filling them with worry and concern. She avoided any eye contact, and she kept her hands folded in her lap as Xion spoke.

"I can't believe our fall break is already over. It seemed so short." The air about her was light and cheery, glad that she had been given a second chance, even though it was far sooner than she had imagined. She wore lacy black gloves, destined to conceal her hands from the heat of her Styrofoam coffee cup, leaving the cardboard sleeve behind to rest uselessly on the counter.

Naminé's arms were folded gently around her head, concealing the pain pulling the strings of her heart, wrenching any focus from her brain. It was as if a haze had centered itself in front of her icy eyes and faded away her surroundings, the present, only letting the past week shine through with love and luminosity.

Kairi snapped her delicate fingers in front of Naminé's face, struggling to awaken her from her trance. "Hello? Please tell me you aren't spaced out to planet Roxas." Kairi rolled her eyes as her pale friend shivered back to reality. Still, the fog lingered around her, and she still felt the emptiness pounding, lurking for more hopes and dreams to erase from her heart.

"I'm sorry, I really have to go." Naminé stood up from her tall, iron seat, gliding from the table with a screech against the marble tiling on the floor of the small java shop. She mustered a tender smile for the two uniformed girls as she headed out the door and up Market Street and towards her home.

xXx

Days passed, each and every one as dark, lonesome, and repetitive as the other. At school, Naminé sat with her friends, did her work, but never seemed to understand anything. Lately, she hadn't remembered any of her dreams or felt the need to draw or paint. But, tonight, she lay in her bed, pencil firmly in hand, images scrawling across her brain. Also, the images were accompanied by voices. She wrote and sketched without thinking, just copying the things scrolling through her vision. The images themselves made sense, but they didn't flow together, and she couldn't understand anything she had done. Exhausted from the scattered thoughts and shredded sequences, she drifted into a deep, intent sleep where she lost all reality and found herself piecing together everything she had just created.

xXx

"He's interfered with our plans, he must be eliminated." The voice that was speaking was close to a deep growl, like a wolf fighting for dominance.

Another voiced snapped, regaining authority. "No, our plans have not been ruined. If we eliminate him, then the superior will become suspicious." It rumbled back down, still filled with the hatred and cockiness it had held from the first word.

The original roar arose again, only to say, "This is true."

A new voice, one Naminé had never heard, even in her dreams, spoke. The sound was soothing, youthful, and calm, unlike the others who were course and gravely. "I'll make sure all they have is each other, even if it's just an illusion."

After the words had faded out, leaving only blackness and silence. Naminé could feel herself awakening. She rolled over to check the time on her digital alarm clock, but something was wrong, whether it was the display or the time, she did not know, but she knew something was wrong. She knew it because it read _13:13_. She watched for what seemed like forever, but it never changed.

Perplexed, she stood up and unplugged it, yet its vivid blue numbers stayed illuminated. _What's happening to me? Am I going insane? _

Tears came to Naminé's gentle, blue eyes, though she tried to hold them back. Her mind was corrupted, just like someone else had found their way inside of her and was pulling at her until the seams holding her together came completely undone. Those last three words rippled through her, making a bigger and bigger impact as every time she thought about them. _Just an illusion. _What could it mean? She needed to think, to escape. Luckily, Saturday had finally arrived, which meant the rest of the day was hers. Quickly, she slid into her favorite plain, white dress and a navy pea coat. She tugged the trusty, grey boots that basically lived on her feet back on and she wobbled awkwardly out the door to her crisp, clean white room. Why she had never bothered to put any color in it, she didn't know, but it was of little importance to her now.

"I'm going out!" she called out exasperatedly as she took the stairs two at a time.

Her mom, who was blankly flipping a burning pancake over the stove in the pale aqua kitchen, replied with a sigh, "When aren't you?" Naminé could see the sting in her mother's forlorn, empty eyes, but she was couldn't bring it upon to stay in the house with the family that fell apart, piece by piece, as the days dragged on. "Remember, we move out tomorrow."

Taken aback by the remembrance of the move, she stopped in her tracks. The entire move had escaped out of her mind, unnoticed and definitely not missed. Caught up in the thoughts of packing all her clothes tonight and making sure her furniture was cleared out, she nearly missed the blonde boy standing patiently, even motionless in the distance.

"Roxas!" She began to sprint towards the boy, but clumsily tripped over her own foot, only to go tumbling forward. When she looked up, he was gone, out of sight. One word, and one word only, was left to dangle from her open lips as her heart raced, checking back on the other events of the morning. "Roxas?"

* * *

Wow, has it been way to long or what? I hate not being able to read or reply to reviews either, I hate not having time. ;b but, alas, the weekend is almost here, which means tons of time to write write write! I still do try hard to read everything possible, so reviews stilll rock my socks. (: thanks for reading, I appreciate your input greatly.

Stop! Question time! What is your favorite subject in school?  
Elective: Theater. Core Clas: Math.


	15. It's a Hero's Day

Roxas lay sullen on the top of sunset hill, still trying to compute when they would, when _Naminé_ would, be safe again, when all the craziness would fade away. He fumbled with his jacket as his thoughts drifted to Axel, then to Demyx, then to leaving it all behind. Suddenly, his ears began to ring, eventually evening out to the sound of a girl's voice calling out his name. It was Naminé's voice, he would know it anywhere. At first, she sounded happy, excited even, but the melody and cheer in her tone swiftly blended into a lost, hurt cry for him. But, it didn't stop there. She repeated his name over and over, fear and hesitance striking her voice with every word, like she was lost in some dark forest far away. All he could do was try to call back, let her know he was here.

"Naminé? Naminé? Where are you?" He stood up, thrashing, feeling only slightly foolish for calling to someone he couldn't see. That didn't last for long, though, when her figure faded gently into his vision. "Naminé!" He ran toward her, but she ignored him as she landed on the ground with her delicate face buried into her dainty fingers, which pained Roxas to see. He tried to reach for her, but the image began to revolve all around him, her form a blur, trapping him in a wall of pain and desperation. He heard her scream, and the words filled his being with frustration and passion, wishing soulfully he could interpret what was going on. _Am I insane? _Hearing her say that, using all the power in her lungs, made this feeling, intense as it was, too real for him to ignore.

His heart was racing, and his head was pounding, each pulse like thunder, no, like its own storm trying to smash its way through the cage that was his skull. This event, paired with the lonesome and torturous past week, had torn him apart piece by piece, leaving him more depressed and angsty than he usually was, which was a lot to say. He was breaking on the inside, afraid of any more painful change, so he numbed himself to any sort emotion.

Hayner and Pence had taken notice of his strange behavior, but ever since Olette transferred to the private school down the road, she was never really around them much. Sometimes, he even saw her with Kairi, Xion, and Sora, and it hurt him. It was odd, like what school she went to changed her. Now, a girl named Yuffie, who still went to the public school with Roxas, seemed to have taken her place, despite their opposite personalities. As people entered and exited his life, he felt he was only able to watch them move on without him while he was just caught in an unmoving blur, awaiting someone to take him out.

Without realizing, he had already set off in the direction in Naminé's house, following the instinct of his heats and dragging his legs along without help from the truth that lied deep inside him. The truth of how much he cared for her, how much he needed to be with her. But, he couldn't risk the chance of her getting hurt, so he let the pain paralyze his thoughts and he stalked absent-mindedly

xXx

The porcelain-skinned girl was shaky and unstable as she kicked her way down the steep grade from her house, her eyes blood-shot from the agony and torture she had been putting herself through pretending everything was okay, from trying to _not _go insane. Something silver glinted from sunlight, not quite metallic, per say, but familiar somehow to Naminé. As she approached the source of the gleam, she knew exactly what, or who, it was. Her heart thumped powerfully in her chest, almost like it was trying to free itself and fly away, the way it always had when she saw him. _Riku. _That was one part of what Xion had said that wasn't a lie, and it was something Naminé had never expected to be true. _Why is _he_ here?_

Before she could think of any reason, the bright-eyed boy was already headed her way, with a skip in his step and a flawless smile on his face. _But, _she reflected, _I thought it was all a lie. _His aqua eyes beamed captivatingly like the waves themselves, rolling in and out of her gaze. Memories of him floated around lazily in her mind, reminiscing delighting her to the core, in thought of their fingers once intertwining with each other's, as if that was what they were there were meant to do. But, it didn't take long for Naminé to begin thinking of Roxas, how she felt the exact same way, perhaps stronger, when she was with him.

He was closer, and she noticed his smile was brighter than before, his hair silkier, even his eyes more majestic. There was no sense denying it, he was perfection. He was nothing but suave, from his toes to his tanned, defined face. "It's been… so long. Too long, actually."

A wall of white was flashed in Naminé's direction as she regained her gentle composure. "It has, hasn't it? Two years, I think." She knew, for a fact, but didn't dare show how hurt she was when he left for Traverse Town, leaving Naminé in a dark phase of despair and lost faith, crazier than ever.

"Two years too long," he stated both boldly and quietly as he took her hand in his, though his were far larger and were course from the fencing he had been doing in his new training center. This sent a tingle shooting up Naminé, electrifying and familiar. It still wasn't the same, though, as it was with Roxas. Something about them, whether it was the natural pull keeping them from straying from each other from too long, or maybe the warmth that bound their hearts and souls when their skin touched, even if it was the slightest contact, made him impossible to match.

She pulled away, reluctant at first. "Riku," but she couldn't finish. She was distracted by the wind, as it nearly circled around them without straying. Leaves kicked up, following the pattern of the autumn breeze. Another thing that perplexed her was the bright, full moon. The daylight hadn't faded, the sky was still bright, but it nearly outshined the sun. "After the accident, when you left, called me crazy. I think I'm starting to believe you."

His eyes traveled swiftly to the pavement in remembrance. "I was stupid then, I didn't know what I had. Don't think about it." His eyes were regretful, and he smelled like ocean mist as he drew closer ever so slowly, ever so easily. Before he could breath another word, a black vortex seemed to open behind him, swirling around and around with fury, pain, and darkness. A large, hefty-built man emerged from within it, smoothly, like he had done it a million times before. Without so much as a word from him, he grabbed the delicate blonde by the wrist and tugged her towards the portal that had appeared in front of the pair.

"Riku!" she managed to scream before she vanished, her hand thrust outward in a desperate search for security. The blank, open air left behind was painful and confusing, silencing the silver-haired boy, but only for a moment.

"She- she's gone." The scene played again in his head; it had gone by so fast, it didn't seem real.

Ahead, he noted a blond boy in a red jacket gaping at the air where the abyss had just formed, eyes open wide in astonishment. Riku could hear him say something, but his voice was carried off by the wind still moving in the most eloquent of patterns. The leaves that had danced merrily around Naminé's ankles no scattered across the ground to Roxas's feet, the scraping against the road being the only sound in the area. The air was awkward yet still as they stood there eyeing each other, silently judging.

"Was that," but Roxas paused. "It couldn't be." He shook his head, trying to lose the thought, but he knew it very well could have been.

Riku was angry and scared, which always made him put up a vicious shield to the world. "Who are you to know?" he snapped. "It's none of your business who it was. Just leave."

Roxas was shocked by the boy's reply, letting his defensive manner take hold over his sense and emotions and get the better of him. "What the hell is wrong with you? If what just happened is what I think did, than it every part of it is my business, so just back off. God damn."

Humbled by this outburst, Riku retreated. "That was my friend, Naminé. And to be totally honest, I don't really know what just happened." In a feeble attempt to figure it out, he called upon what he had just seen. The man, he had had long, black dreadlocks, and was rather muscular. The menacing scowl that seemed like a part of his face was rubber-stamped on Riku's memories forever. The way he pulled her away, without a sound, the way she reached for him, and the way he did nothing but gape at the sight. They all broke him apart. He regained his self-possession and focus as he described it to the other boy.

"No," Roxas uttered, pained and broken. "This is all my fault! I thought it would work; I thought they would forget about her," he cried out as he landed heavily on the ground and brought his fist upon the bricks. His eyes were drowned in shades of disbelief and confusion. Without a single other thought, idea, or word crossing his mind, he looked towards Riku and simply said, "I have to save her."

Bewildered, but still trying to keep up, Riku was quick to reply. "_You _need to save her? I think you've done enough, if this is really all your fault. It's my time to regain a friendship, or even more, that I lost."

With his cocky attitude and sureness in every word he spoke, Roxas immediately recognized him from stories Sora had told him. "You must be Riku, the one who left shortly before I came back. The one who _used _to be Sora's best friend. You left them without any explanation." As Roxas came to terms with the rush of emotions inside of him, he stood up to face the silver-haired boy face to face, eye to eye.

Riku laughed a knowing laugh. "Well, you seem to know your facts." He was growing more and more sure with every word he spoke. "And you must be Roxas. That's right, Sora and I _did_ keep in touch for a while. So, your twisted, little past got Naminé into trouble, huh? Looks like I'm going to have to be the one to save her, since you'll just make matters worse." His arrogant smirk sent Roxas for a tail-spin, annoyed that someone he didn't even know was trying to judge _him, _trying to tell _him _about his own past.

"You don't know _anything _about my past, so just shut up." Roxas was, once again, trying to keep himself in check, but it grew more and more difficult with every word Riku said to him. He reflected on his past days. His dad was gone. He was alone in the woods. Just a tent, no way of contacting to his brother, his mother, or really any form of civilization. _They_ had taken him in when he didn't know any better, unaware of their mission, never planning on freeing him from their grasp. "Look, it's me they want. You won't be of any use to them. You can tag along if you want, but try not to get in the way."

xXx

The train's engine smoked furiously as it spilt through any air or wind in its path, powering along the tracks with the force of a raging fire. Roxas's head hung low as "Pain" blared into his ears with full intension to drown out any word the boy next to him could even manage to say. Little did he know, Riku was doing the same thing, "Comatose" filling his mind to shield him from Roxas. This silence between them, this wall, stayed alive for the entire three hours that the locomotive sped along to their destination.

"We're here, this is the closest we'll get." The blonde's voice had somehow found its way through Riku's pulsing music. "We have some walking to do."

The silver-haired boy complied reluctantly, following the other boy off the train and through the station, quickly and breezily, yet still silent. It was odd, for Riku to follow anyone, but he did so without complaint in thought of the goal they were set for.

* * *

Reuploded, thank you for all of your help. ^.^ I hope this is easier to understand. The next chapter is almost done, so it should be out by the end of the weekend. XD I really do appreciate your reviews, and would love to know what you like, dislike, and are looking forward to at the end of each chapter, so the story can improve. Also, I'm thinking of a plot for another story, so this chapter's question is - What is your favorite KH couple? Crack pairing?


	16. Captive

The walls were white. The floor was white. The single chair in the hanging cage was white. It was all as blank and expressionless as Naminé's empty eyes and her plain white dress. Her peacoat lay on the floor of her bird cage-like chamber, limply strewn across the boots she had kicked off in her fit of being thrown into her new "room", if you could eve call it that. The cloaked men had finally left, and it was such a relief to Naminé and her stressed figure. The events were crisp, clear, and memorable, unlike how her world had been playing past her eyes lately. Everything else was a mere blur rolling itself on a movie screen in the back of her mind. Momentarily, she wondered what Riku had done after she had been taken, though the thought passed quickly and insignificantly.

She was calm; Roxas had told her so much about these people that, for whatever reason, it was unnatural for her to have any confusions or fears or uncertainties about them. She knew what, or who, they really wanted, but how she hoped with every last fiber of her innocent, youthful being that they would never get it, never get him. The only thing she thought about as she sat, numb and lonely, on that chair was whether or not Roxas knew of her capture, and whether or not he would be stupid enough to come save her. Most girls would say brave, but Naminé was sincerely set on the word stupid to describe the decision to risk his life for her. She was always on her own, and she didn't see the need for that "romantic" gesture of being rescued, even when they wouldn't do anything to her if he didn't come.

Anytime that his words, the promise he had made to protect her, were brought back to her, she was consumed by guilt that haunted her soul, eating her away to nothing but the tears rolling like and avalanche down her cheek. Any other time, she was drawing in her pocket sketchbook, not really knowing what she was drawing. Recently, she had begun what looked like a train, but her pencil had snapped along with the rest of her patience and sanity, keeping her from sketching a single other line.

Across the room underneath of her, vast and open, a large door creaked with an eerie tone which, in itself, sent a chill across her neck and a shiver down her spine. Footsteps followed shortly after, paced gently and easily. She wasn't far off the ground, either, so she crept towards the chilled white iron bars without and sound in an attempt to investigate. Before her stood a fairly short man, he couldn't have been much older than seventeen or eighteen, whose indigo hung in front of one eye with the same pessimistic air that he himself had emanating from him. Something about him was nearly recognizable to Naminé, but she was for sure she had never seen his pale skin, or his unemotional blue eyes, or even his layers of inky hair, unaware and uncaring of which direction they wanted to go. The only thing she knew was truly something she had seen before was the cloak, long and black with large, open sleeves.

Another figure came through the same door; it was taller and burlier. Black dread locks came tumbling off of his terrifyingly broad shoulders. She was far too scared to say anything, finally letting herself be afraid of what was going to happen to her. Her protective walls came crumbling down at the sight of him, revealing a trembling girl with the word fear practically stamped across her anxious expression.

"What are you doing here?" she heard the sulky boy ask with sternness she couldn't fathom coming from such a benign and indifferent figure. But, of course, she had been fooled by appearances before. His arms were crossed, holding a dark book against his firm, tight chest like he was protecting it with his life. The symbol engraved on the front sent a shock through Naminé; she had been drawing that very symbol ever since the kidnapping, still without reason.

The bones within her slender fingers shook and trembled, awaiting an answer from those who stood before her, silently staring each other down. Finally, the burly man broke the bond of stillness they were all so wrapped up in. "Number VI, what makes you think you can speak to me that way? I am, after all, a superior member."

Naminé could hear the indifference behind every word of the other's reply. "Well, Xaldin, seeing as I've been doing all the work on this mission, other than you bringing her here, I feel I have a right to speak freely."

_Even _he_'s been a part of this. Who _isn't _against me these days? _Naminé concealed her thoughts as she reached for her sketch book and held it to her chest. The half of the train on the page had come to a stop in her mind. Whatever was on it before had left now, left for a greater purpose. She was alone in a room with two other people, if you could truly even consider them that.

The Cloaked Schemer stole a glance at Naminé and took quick notice of the new emotion, desperation, that was portrayed all along her figure. He turned back at the sound of the husky voice giving him commands. "We need a status report, where is the boy now?"

It was weird; Naminé could see the younger of the two sniff the air, like the smells of a room she thought to be scentless would somehow tell him everything he ever needed to know. This seemed to be true, from his reply. "He is very close, very very close. But wait," he sniffed at the stillness once more. "There is, is, somebody else with him."

"Is he recruitable?" Xaldin said this with such sincerity, so monotone, Naminé knew he was nothing but serious. She couldn't hold it in; she still cared about the boy of her past.

"No!" she called from deep inside her chest, immediately cupping her hand over her mouth and wishing she had never opened it. Both men turned towards her, obviously startled. They had actually forgotten of her existence, or at least her presence. Now, she had even more repentance for her impulsive cry.

The Whirlwind Lancer strutted over to Naminé, swinging each leg around and over the other, a manner that would leave most ready to topple over. Still, he moved with grace and rhythm as a wry grin slid across his rectangular jaw.

"Look Zexion, the little prisoner has got some anger in her," he said as he turned toward the other nobody for a brief moment, his glance lingered for a moment, then he was once more staring at the girl with her hands wrapped around the bars of her cell, only to keep them from trembling. "But why cover up that power with fear?"

Zexion was, as usual, silent and without response. Naminé, on the other hand, had had enough of trying to cover up the hurt, the anger, the hate that was ready to consume her. "I'm not afraid," she lied, struggling to gather her courage together.

"Oh, so she's a liar, too," Xaldin remarked, nearly chuckling. "Tell, me, why is this boy so infatuated with a _liar_? Oh, that's right, because they can't help it. It's so easy to trick children."

With every word he said, Naminé became more confused and more frustrated. "I'm not a child!" Her voice was desperate and young, anything but the mature power she had been hoping it would have. That cliché, single tear was forming in her eye. "You can't trick people into falling in love."

Still, Zexion's head hung low, and he remained speechless as his comrade tortured the girl trapped in her cage. "Yes, you can. It's quite easy, actually, but I believe I'll let someone else reveal that to you later," She was standing, now, as he reached his large, gloved hand through the iron and under her chin while he spoke. The glove was thick and made of leather. It was surprisingly soft against her skin, so much so that if it hadn't been attached to such a terrifying man, she would have been comforted by it. "I have some traitors to deal with."

He nodded towards the other member and recreated the portal that had brought Naminé here to this crisp, white hell. His dreadlocks flew behind him as a gust of wind seemed to emit from his being, sending the flying about like Medusa's snakes. When he was completely gone, not a wisp of darkness still wriggling about in the air, the girl was collapsed on the ground, sobbing, something she had done far too often lately. The tears were salty and bitter, and Naminé could taste her own disdain and torment within them.

"I'm sorry."

"What?" Her voice cracked when she spoke from all the crying. Naminé was taken aback, stuck on the assumption that they were all cruel and relentless. Her shock was quickly diminished and replaced with the anger she had previously held. "Do you think this is really something you can apologize and fix?" As she spoke, her eyes were blood shot and, at the same time, an icy blue.

The nobody averted his eyes; he felt a tinge of regret, the apology sincere. "I've never had to mess with love before, it doesn't feel good. You know, I'm not supposed to feel… anything." He caught the blonde's bewildered face and continued to speak. "I'm a nobody; emotions are supposed to mean nothing to me, but something about love," he trailed off, lost in the science and intricacy of the entire scenario. "Love is different. Falsifying it, it hurts."

At this, Naminé stood once again, her grip on the cold metal tightening. "You… can't fake," but the word was stolen from her lips. "You can't create it, and you can't make it up."

"Maybe not make love itself, but it's fairly easy to make to people think they're in love, to recreate the symptoms. Did you ever notice how you were always there right before anything bad happened, or thinking of each other at the perfect time? That was my fault, and, looking back, I feel, not quite right about it all."

Naminé's eyes said it all for her. Zexion continued to speak, very out of his element, off of the feelings and questions portrayed on Naminé's face. "I have the power to control illusions, to create them and to put them in your vision and head. It made it easier that you two had shared a paopu fruit, even without knowing it. Your thoughts, dreams, hearts, and even your destinies are forever intertwined."

Naminé opened her mouth to speak, but the doors swung open, silent and yet still so loud. In stepped a man with aquamarine hair and an 'X' between his eyes. Each step he took was deliberate and precise. He stood in a rather commanding position, if Naminé had ever seen one, when he came to the speaker.

xXx

A twig cracking, and bush rustling, a gust of wind. They were all quick to startle Roxas, but only because he knew the possibilities of what could happen. Riku, however, was unfazed. Other than his incredible impatience, anyway.

"Do you even know where you're going?" Riku stomped through the crunching fall leaves, surrounded by wonderful hues of red, orange, and yellow, he could still find a way to ignore the beauty.

Roxas turned around, a glare fixated in his eyes, and replied with chagrin. "If it's taking too long, why don't you lead us there?" This shut Riku up rather quickly. Almost as if it was waiting for its cue, they came upon tall, rusted, iron gates that towered over them ominously and forebodingly. Behind them stood a large, white palace like building with towers that seemed to scrape the sky, striving to rip through to the sun.

"So, I'm guessing we'll be going _into _the creepy house?"

Roxas smiled to himself and said, "For once, you're right."

xXx

"Number VI! Did you _want _to ruin all of our plans by revealing every detail possible to her, because that is what it appears to be." The blue-haired nobody's voice was bossy and controlling, stern and inflexible.

Without removing his apathetic stare from Naminé, he replied, "And what exactly is she going to do, VII? She's already here. Why torture her with ignorance?"

"Very well then," the Luna Diviner answered, demeaned by the logic and soundness presented to him. "Number III said you detected another. Is he a threat to our mission? If so, he shouldn't be hard to dispose of."

Finally, the blue-eyed nobody lifted his head to the man next to him and could only say, "He is trying to be." This caused Naminé to let out an involuntary, distressed whimper. She understood what he had meant, how Riku was going to be 'disposed of' for attempting to foil whatever plans they had going.

"Well, you may inform this girl on what has happened, and what will befall her dear, dear friends. You were correct, after all. She can't do anything about it at this point."

At this, Naminé had had enough. "Won't you people just stop talking about me like I'm not _right _here!" Her anger was, once again, holding her captive to its will. She thought of taking that damn chair and throwing it at the damn bars that wouldn't let her free. But she decided it would be best not to upset her captors, though it took every fiber of her being to hold in the frustration and aggravation coursing through her veins.

"You know Zexion, she's right. We're being terribly rude." As he said this, Saïx's eyes lightened like they always did when he was in a position of authority. "Why don't you tell her a story, perhaps one about a boy who puts a girl in horrible danger?" He laughed as he summoned a portal of darkness, just as Xaldin had.

Naminé wondered, mortified, if she was honestly in horrible danger, as Saïx had put it. Maybe it was just another one of their tricks, just for their heartless enoyment, but for just a moment, she wished Roxas would come rescue her.

"Where are you, Roxas?"

* * *

well, it looks like next chapter will be a lot of explanation, but maybe not all of it? i appreciate any reviews you guys have, honestly and whole-heartedly. tuesdays are usually my writing days, but they have currently been replaced, so i will find another time i can. your support and critiques are what keeps me writing. x3

question time, Who do you hate most in Kingdom Hearts?  
(xionxionxionxionxionxion]


	17. Making a Choice

Eyebrows raised, worrisome gleam in his eyes, Zexion walked towards Naminé's cage, searching for any way he could help her without betraying the Organization. "Well, did you want me to tell you what's going on?"

"What's the use? I'm stuck here, luring Roxas in, not out of my choice." Naminé's hands were wrapped around the bars so tightly it was as if she thought she could pull them apart and run away. "The only thing I want anymore is to just disappear."

The Cloaked Schemer stood there, unaware of any possible move he could make to cheer the girl up. "You deserve to know," he began. "When you were kidnapped, the first time, anyway, do you remember anything?"

The ivory girl shook her light blonde head gently, yet still firm and sure.

"As I thought." Zexion continued speaking, extremely out of his element. "Well, you were perfect for their plan to take Roxas. Beautiful, quiet, mysterious, everything he can't help but adore." It seemed, at this, a grin seemed to find its way onto the nobody's face. "They needed insurance, though, so they needed to get you to share a paopu fruit. I was not yet involved, so they had to actually take you away and force you to do it." He paused, taking consideration into the story, almost as if he'd never really thought much of it. "How they managed to black it all out of your memory, though, I don't know."

Finally, Naminé spoke up. "Not all of it. I remember faces." Her voice was shaky in pure astonishment of the back-story. "I remember white rooms, and still darkness." Her grip on the cold metal tightened as the words came tumbling from her cold, peach lips.

"Figures," he scoffed. "They soon realized they needed my, er, specialties to get to Roxas, considering they couldn't kidnap him. That is the entire point, isn't it? To get him to come peacefully and without a fight? I digress, it is tremendously easy to make a paopu fruit to look like sea-salt ice cream, and I think you can comprehend that Roxas ate that up rather quickly!"

Naminé could tell that Zexion was trying to lighten the mood, but she didn't laugh. She didn't move. She didn't even blink as she stared up at him, blank and empty so he could feel her sorrow. Eventually, she broke the awkward silence. "Were you planning on continuing?"

"Yes, of course. Well, it was taking far longer than they had planned to get you two to meet in person, to actually notice each other in the streets, so I was told to put his image in your head so you'd know him. That way, when you saw him the next time, you would want to interact with him." He looked at the girl with her trembling knees and simple dress, each word becoming more difficult to say as he remembered Roxas, as well. He drifted lazily back to the days of seeing Roxas, Demyx, and Axel laughing and enjoying themselves, despite being empty inside. It all changed when, somehow, Roxas had found his true emotions. He realized the destruction around him and fled. Zexion shook himself back to the present and began to speak once more. "With the help of that paopu fruit, their intricate selection process, and my illusions, there was no way he could resist coming to save you if you ever left him. That way, he wouldn't do anything rash against the Organization."

"What, what are you people?" Naminé was disgusted and shocked by the trouble they would go through just to have a teenage boy with them. "You're horrible! You'd tear apart two lives for what? I still don't see the purpose!"

"Look," he started. "You must understand, we don't have hearts, or even emotions. Roxas was the only way we could access them, we needed him to be real."

When Naminé looked at Zexion, she could see he was sincere, like to him it was a reason. "So that's the reason you did _all _of this? That's pathetic." Next, she said she didn't know if she believed _herself._ You just watch, Roxas _and _Riku are going to get here, save me, and not fall victim to any of your traps."

"Doubtful," was all the Cloaked Schemer dared to say.

At this, Naminé was filled to the brim with anger, ready to let it spill out everywhere, and lost control. She took a shoe from the lumpy pile of her clothing next to the lonely, white chair and chucked it at the man in the black cloak. "You shut up! I know they will!" From there, the only thing next was to simply collapse on the ground, doing anything she could to keep tears from escaping her icy eyes again for them. _They aren't worth it, they aren't worth it._

"You have a lot of anger, Xaldin would enjoy you."

xXx

The tall, ominous doors stood before the two boys, ready to consume them at any second. "Nowhere to go but in," said Roxas, confident and sure.

The smell of the fall air was calming on their nerves, though it couldn't get rid of them. Leaves shuffled across the dusty ground with whimsy they wished they could have right now. Pulses steady, they pulled the gargantuan door from where it seemed it had rested forever. With every creak of the entry, they paused for a solid minute, petrified. They were well aware they were going into this completely unprepared, not knowing where Naminé was, not ready to fight, but Roxas knew his last resort, going back to the Organization.

"So, do you have _any _idea where we're headed?" Riku's tone was fairly expressive of his thoughts, and it was apparent to Roxas he was looked down upon.

Roxas had only one idea, but he was fairly sure of it, despite his the way his faith seemed to be trickling from him, a stream of his hope flowing away. It was a large room, not much unlike the others, other than the fact that it had a lonesome chair, and at time, a cage hanging high above the humanity of the room, awaiting use. Now that it could possibly have one, Roxas wanted to rip it away, link by link, bar by bar. Without so much as looking in Riku's direction, he began to sprint in the direction he remembered it being in.

From behind him, he heard a voice beckon, "Are you crazy?" He turned to find Riku running after him, speaking exasperatedly. "You don't have a plan, you have no way of fighting back, and you are _not _communicating anything with me."

"You have to trust me on this one, okay?" Roxas' head dropped down as he drifted to the promises him and Naminé had made, the trust that they had created too quickly. The memories lingered through his thoughts as he raced through the high-ceilinged corridors of Castle Oblivion, occasionally checking on the boy trailing behind him. It was so easy to ignore the thought of possible road-blocks with a goal that was set.

Finally, he came skidding to a halt at another set of towering, ivory doors, not much unlike the others that had gone scrolling past them while they ran through the maze of hallways. "These are the ones."

"How do you know for sure?" Riku seemed skeptical of the certainty of his partner.

The blonde boy simply chuckled to himself as he noted the slight discoloration on a part of the frame. He remembered the rather large burn mark left there when Axel had gotten angry with Demyx, and the way t

hey tried to paint over it. Brought back to reality by a set of fingers snapping before his eyes, he gestured to the other boy to open the doors with him. What he saw as they creaked open was what he was looking for, but was hoping wasn't true, because, right in front of him was Naminé, captive, and a short, cloaked man.

"Naminé," he breathed.

He heard the girl call out from her position on the ground in between pants, "Roxas! Riku!" He could see she was out of breath, and he noticed the pieces of white wood scattered across the ground, forming patterns that, in themselves, seemed to express pain and hatred. Next, his eyes wandered the man in the black cloak. Without even taking a moment, he knew who it was. _Zexion._

There entrance seemed to have offset the nobody, as he was unbalanced and wide-eyed at their presence. "Roxas," was all he had managed to say.

"And don't forget Riku." Saïx appeared from a dark cloud, smirk placed slyly across his narrow chin. Both the boys stood, poised but in shock, as they were recognized, contemplating what their next move was going to be. "So glad you two could join us today."

"Don't be," growled Roxas, taking a step forward. Memories came flowing back to him for every second he stood in the white château-like building. His days just laying around with Axel and Demyx, collecting hearts, watching the completely oblivious world scroll by without any knowledge of the heartless. All the times he had blocked out, they were creeping from the darkness to rope him back in. This time, he felt, there would be no escape.

"Ooh, feisty, aren't we?" Thus entered Xigbar, followed closely by Xaldin, through the large colorless doors. They stood behind Roxas and Riku, leering over their shoulders. The Sharpshooter continued to speak through his smarmy smirk. "Roxas? I trust you've been a good boy?" As the Organization members exchanged glances back and forth across the room, the three teenagers' hearts pounded through their chests, all as one, terrified heart beat.

As if they were awaiting a cue, Axel and Demyx entered through the Dark Corridor and into the slowly filling room. As usual, Axel felt it necessary to say something witty. "Next time there's a party, we'd like an invitation. Got it memorized?" This was followed by a small chuckle from the Melodious Nocturne next to him. His black cloak swayed behind him as he started towards Roxas and the others, his boots not making a sound along the way. "And what is _he _doing here?" he asked Saïx, gesturing towards Roxas, though he inwardly knew why and was not pleased by it.

"He's trying to be a hero," laughed Xigbar.

Xaldin was quick to add," And he brought along a little friend."

As was the intent, this deeply aggravated to two boys to the point where their faces held grim, vicious expressions. "Just free the girl, she hasn't done anything wrong." Riku finally spoke, hoping to access a way of ensuring her safety.

"Roxas can simply come back to us, and we'll simply let you and little Naminé go together, no harm done." Saïx took a step away from them and towards Naminé, turning his back to them. "_Or _we can do this the hard way. It's really your choice.

"No!" The blonde at long last had summoned the courage to speak. "I don't care anymore. You can do with me whatever you want, just don't hurt them." Naminé no longer cared for herself, seeing that she was the reason the only two boys she ever loved were now in danger.

"Silence!" A large gust of wind thrust the girl from the edge of her cage, sending her flying back to a dark corner as she landed with a hard thud. His black dreadlocks were still flowing in the after-breeze as The Whirlwind Lancer continued to speak. "He's trying to make a very important decision."

"So, Roxas, what'll it be?" questioned Saïx.

The blue-eyed boy scanned through the room, decoding the glances and stares he received. Riku remained indifferent to the subject, unconcerned as long as Naminé was safe. Naminé's eyes pleaded him to leave, but he could tell, underneath, she wanted to be rescued. The emerald eyes of Axel seemed to want him to stay, but were fully aware that wasn't the better choice for his friend. Demyx was clearly swayed to any choice that didn't involve fighting, but seemed prepared to stand by Roxas if there was going to be fighting involved. He knew he wasn't ready to fight, but going back to the Organization XIII meant losing everything. He faded back and forth between darkness and light, trying to stay focused.

"Time is running out," said Number III. "It's time to decide."

* * *

yeah, it's been way way way too long. I caught some really wicked writer's block, and I'm overly sorry. ): Good news, this block has made me a new Demyx T-Shirt. I really don't feel like talking, too ashamed. So, I'll just as a really simple question. "What do you think of Demyx Time?"

a.) like it.  
b.) dont like it  
c.) never heard of it.  
d.) im dying until they put out demyx time fifteen.

yeah, im about to explode if kelly and jenn dont get demyx time XV out by the end of october. ive been deprived of it for far too long.


	18. Drawing Weapons

As Roxas thought of everyone back in Twilight Town, Kairi, Sora, Hayner, Pence, Olette, Yuffie, and all the people he had yet to meet, he couldn't bear losing the life he had worked so hard to build. All he had left behind was good memories, so different than what he was doing in the Organization. The one thing that pushed it over, that made him want to stay in Twilight Town, was that fact that, if he stayed with the Organization XIII, he would never see Naminé again. Still, if he fought and lost, they would both lose.

Before Roxas could come to his decision, it seemed destiny had already chosen for him. The Oathkeeper blended into his open palm, almost exactly as it had done before. Before, that is, he left the Organization. It had been so long, though. He was so sure he would never wield the powerful weapon ever again. Standing, shocked and trembling, as yet another Keyblade appeared in his right hand. There they were, just like old times, the Oathkeeper and Oblivion, unchanged and prepared for battle.

Next to him, he noticed Riku was already in battle stance. Was that another Keyblade in _his _hands, too? Across the room, Axel and Demyx followed right behind them as time seemed to slow down. Roxas could taste the fear on the tip of his tongue. It felt like forever ago, was he really ready to go back to an old pattern. He drew in one last deep breath and spoke the two words Saïx needed to hear.

"I'll fight." It was only two seconds after he said this before all the others drew their weapons as well. Though, Zexion still stood, motionless and silent, by Naminé's prison. He longed to disappear, but he knew he would have to fight. But he knew if Demyx could, he could, too. Still, something was keeping it from being that simple. Had he become too involved with the emotional situation? Impossible, he held no power of emotion or feelings. Yet he shrunk away when he heard Saïx began to speak again.

"Let's begin," said the Luna Diviner with a wry grin. The Sixth Member could see the horror-struck blonde hiding herself in a cold, shadowed corner of her cage. Her posture displayed her grief, her head being tucked between her bony knees and arms wrapped firmly around her pale legs. Naminé's plain, white dress allowed her to blend with the ivory walls behind her. Her bare feet caught a cool breeze, most likely from Xaldin, that sent a chilling shiver up her spine. She nevertheless refused to allow herself to cry. Though she had always shut herself off from using emotions, never letting her protective walls come down for anyone, and this was certainly no exception.

She thought to herself bitterly, "You're such a cry baby. You have no right to feel bad for yourself, you dragged them into this mess." She kicked herself for everything that happened. "You should have listened to Axel and just never even talked to him. You gave the Organization just what they needed." Each thought ran through her head. Hating herself had become natural throughout her life. Socially unaware and hating most other people, she always seemed to have time to find her own flaws, but, before she could berate herself any further, she heard the cry of a young man.

A silver haired teenager came skidding across the floor in front of her, his key blade clattering behind him.

"Riku!" cried Naminé as she thrust herself towards him, her arm unfolded and stretching to reach for something she could never really grab hold of. To her relief, he raised himself to his elbows with a grunt and regained his footing, silent and unshaken. He glanced to her with all the power and hopes his eyes could possibly bestow upon her before he lunged toward his weapon and continued to fight.

Suddenly, a crazy idea arose into the girl's thoughts, but she fought any doubts she had for the boys and searched for her pencil. The broken tip was discouraging, but far from enough to keep her from doing something with the very slightest possibility of helping. She had drawn Roxas coming to rescue her, and he had, so maybe if she were to draw his success, that would come true. Her mind fought it, trying to rationalize, but she refused logic. Peeling away the wood tip to expose the meekest piece of graphite, she began to etch Saïx, wounded and weak, lying on the floor. Though it didn't take long to complete, she could hear spells still being chanted and metal still clashing.

Around her, she could feel the hate, the hurt, and the pain. Remorse filled her once more, brimming up to her delicate eyes in the form of tears. "Why won't it work? It _needs _to work." It seemed she had convinced herself it was a rational plan, like drawing something would make it come true, but it was far from fact. Her hands trembled as she felt her failure. Her mind ached, only wanting to be free to run with Roxas and Riku from the entire world, to be free and no longer captive to anyone. Her teeth were gritted, her eyes were darting, and her heart was bubbling with the heartache of anticipation.

Fire and water shot up from the ground, wind tore through the air accompanied by powerful arrows, blasts of lunar power chiming in from above. The cries for help seemed to reverberate off the blank walls, echoing through her eardrums. Guilt settled closer and closer with every word, and although it felt like an eternity, she saw Saïx go skidding in front of her, just as Riku had. She was tempted to pelt him with her remaining shoe, but found a way to repress her growing urge. Xaldin and Xigbar were nowhere to be found, along with Zexion, as well. Naminé didn't have time to worry about them before the two heroes came sprinting up to a panting Saïx.

His Claymore fell from his hand as he began to speak between heavy breaths. "Why, Kingdom Hearts? Where… is my heart?" He reached for the sky as he began to fade from existence right before the five pairs of glazed gazes that honed through the still, tension-filled air. Astonishment dusted their faces with the sincerity of their hearts. No one dared to speak, or even to move, for that matter. That was, until Roxas drew his Keyblade nonchalantly and pointed it to the bars which captured Naminé and released her. The silence was shattered as her arms slung around the blond boy, a silk scarf wrapping delicately around him.

Words eluded her, a catch in her throat and a tear in her eye, and she refused to release him. Sheer bliss overwhelmed and poured out of her, intoxicating the air with a calm sense of relief. "I'm so glad you came," she barely breathed as his body heat penetrated her skin and warmed her to her very soul. "I don't care what Zexion says, I know I love you."

This brought pause to Roxas, causing him to pull away. Tears still dwelling in her icy irises, she reluctantly complied. "What do you mean, 'what Zexion says'?" He appeared distressed, and Naminé could feel it in the way his palms held her arms so tightly.

"I- I think you need to hear everything, the full truth, of what happened." The words could barely escape her mouth before the silver-haired boy approached her carrying an air of disbelief and bewilderment. She took his hand, as well and thanked him, doing the same with Demyx and Axel. Her joy didn't last long, though, before she died down and returned to Roxas. She rattled the story off to him, almost exactly as the Cloaked Schemer had himself. The anguish swirling in his face seemed to grow stronger with each word trickling from her peach lips. They tumbled from her mouth like rocks pelting Roxas, bringing back memories he never thought would be able to get back to him again.

His lips trembled, forehead sweat, and fingers clenched even tighter. "If they can still do that to me, how am I supposed to trust a single damn thing I feel?" His voiced rose as he said, "How do I even know _this_ is real?" His heart was in full collapse at the sound of him being so easily fooled. The anger quickly melted to sadness when he captured the blonde's face, eyebrows raised and flooded with horror and pain. A quiver in her lower lip was soon followed by tears streaming down her cheek. In attempt to cover her humiliation, she buried her face into her ivory palms. Roxas was left speechless, in a desperate search for words that would set the situation right. He opened his mouth, but not a sound would come out.

Soft footsteps echoed behind Roxas. A tall, red-haired man appeared behind him, a gloved hand resting on his shoulder. He whispered to Roxas, "We don't have emotions, so why would he be able to create them?" He smirked as he answered his own question. "Exactly, he can't. Go tell her exactly how you thought you felt, because it was real."

This time, it was the boy embracing the girl first. He wrapped her tightly in his arm before wiping away her tears with his index finger. "Naminé, even when I shouldn't have loved you, I still wanted to. I still needed to." His eyes were locked with hers. "Every time I see your face, it's like the first time we met. I still get butterflies, and I don't see that changing any time soon." It was like the words themselves had entered inside Naminé and reeled back every tear ready to fall. "Now, I think you've shed too many tears. Let's go home." At this, they both turned to the others and smiled. With a wave of a black leather glove, Demyx opened and onyx portal and ushered the three teenagers through, waving good-bye with Axel.

Naminé grabbed both Riku's and Roxas' hand and walked through with them. She turned around one last time, only to say, "Thank you, you two. I won't ever forget you." The pair of incomplete being seemed to find a grin to mirror back at her as they vanished from sight. They knew back in Twilight Town, things would finally fall into place.

* * *

oh my goodness, it feels like years. i have been grounded for SO long. i am so sorry it has taken me thing long to update. from now on, ill actually do my work so that doesnt happen again. well, i guess theres only one more planned chapter anyway, so its not a huuuuuge deal for the future, but i still feel so bad for it being such a huge gap, and i apologize. pweeeease forgive me. pweettty pweease.

agh, i need reviews and critiques, so feel uber welcome. oh, and shippings for my next story. oh, oh, and im making a fanpress account, so you'll be seeing my upcoming story, "the demon children" there sometime, if you were thinking of checking that out. it would be really appreciated if you did.

update this super soon!


	19. Sealed With a Kiss

The streets were bustling, people scrambling to get to the shops all around, but everything came to a standstill when the three teenagers appeared out of the whirling, whipping darkness. A full blush floated to six cheeks as they noticed all eyes were on them, but still, they stepped out and continued walking. It wasn't long before the crowd followed their lead and went about their own business.

The blonde noticed she had left her things back in the castle, but it didn't faze her, for Roxas' fingers were warmly intertwined with her, the heat from his palms letting Naminé know everything was okay. They seemed to fall in line behind Riku, unaware of where it was they were headed. This didn't last long, however.

"You guys can stop following me, you know." Riku's voice was bitter, nails on Naminé's heart.

Eyes brimming with confusion, she asked softly, "Riku, what's wrong?"

He hesitated before speaking, tasting the regret on the tip of his tongue. "I don't know what I was thinking, thinking I could just come back, and have everything be back to normal." His face was twisted into a expression of remorse and a tint of anger. "After the way I acted towards you, the things I called you, I don't deserve to even think anything ever happened between us or ever will again."

Naminé was at a loss for words, and, for the first time since leaving Castle Oblivion, she let go of Roxas' hand and wrapped her pale arms around Riku and said only three words. "I missed you."

"I needed to hear that," said Riku with a light-hearted grin. "Let's go see Sora and Kairi." They trekked through the streets until arriving at the quaint, brick house. Riku's thumb pressed hard against the doorbell to be sure it rang and an uncomfortable silence fell upon them, settling down and creating awkward air flowing in and out of their lungs.

Relieving them of their anxiety, Kairi answered the door bouncily, happy to see their faces. "Hey guys, come on in!" She led them to the couch Sora had settled himself into, comfortable and happy. Too lazy to raise himself from this position, he threw his hand in the air as a symbol of greeting and continued watching "Ghost Adventures".

"Where were you guys?" Kairi questioned as she gestured the trio to have a seat. "Weren't we supposed to meet at the mall today?" _Oh shit! _Naminé had completely forgotten about their plans, and it was clear by their befuddled expressions that Roxas and Riku had, too. But just then Kairi smiled her usual 'forget about it' smile. "It doesn't matter. What have you guys been up to? You guys look like hell."

With a grin passing between the three, Naminé explained the entire situation to her red-headed friend. After ten solid minutes of telling the entire story, start to finish, with awe-striking detail, Kairi could simply breathe, "Wow." And then, like clockwork, the doorbell rang. Riku immediately took it upon himself to answer it.

"Thanks!" Kairi called, Sora still honed in on the television, unfazed by the story that Naminé had just told. The blondes looked at each other deeply and Roxas reached for Naminé's palm once more, taking it gently in his hand. Cobalt and ice blue irises locked in on one another, they didn't notice the raven-haired girl entering the room.

"Hey Xion," Sora grunted, adjusting himself to face his friends. "I'm glad you and Naminé are speaking again," he added cheerfully. Sora, a sweet and innocent minded boy, had unfortunately found out about the rift between the girls. Not used to friends fighting, the charming, blue-eyed teen had become rather upset about it, so, to make him happy again, Kairi told them they had resolved everything. They had not. Xion had been informed of this at the mall that day. Naminé, on the other hand, was completely unaware.

Luckily for Kairi, she only scoffed at her and didn't say anything too harsh or specific. She knew her porcelain friend was definitely one to hold a grudge, so she was a little worried about what she would say. Tension whirled through the space between them until Xion finally turned to Riku.

"You're back!" she chirped as she hugged him, rings clacking when her hands met around him. He returned her hug and grinned at her warmly. He could see the tinge of pain in her eyes as they honed in on the hands interlocked on the couch.

Kairi, also wanting things to be better between her best friends, hopped off the couch. The zippers on her pale, pink dress flapped as she skipped towards Xion. "You _have_ to hear the adventure Roxas, Riku, and Naminé went on!"

Gazing down at the ground to avoid eye contact, Naminé spoke in an aggravated tone. "It was hardly an adventure. She'd be better off not knowing." Kairi could tell that the blonde still cared, because she could see her gesture towards their fingers in reference to the fact that Xion had feelings for him.

"You know what, she's right." Still, though, she was not satisfied. She searched through her brain for something to seal the broken friendship that floated around her. Remembering all the fun times they had at the beach, it quickly became a plan. "Let's all have a picnic on the beach!"

She received stares from everyone but Sora, who was back into his TV show, and they seemed to say 'Are you out of your mind?' "C'mon, tickets have gone down in price, and it would be a really thing to do since there's only one day left of break."

With a sigh, Naminé agreed, "Let me just call my parents. They've been on a business trip, so it shouldn't be a problem." This was followed by everyone but Xion's consent.

"Xion, you're more than welcome to come, too." Kairi's feeble attempt seemed to be enough for the girl and a smile slipped its way onto her rosy lips.

It wasn't long before they had arrived at the beach, most of them without their parent's permission, and were already laughing. The sky was mirroring the ocean with its cerulean tones and cloudless air. It already put everyone in a better mood. Arriving at their favorite spot, Riku shook the checkered picnic blanket out and laid it down gently. Sora tossed the basket down carelessly and nearly automatically wrapped Kairi in a spinning hug and kissed her joyfully.

"Why do you always have the best ideas?" The question made the red-head blush heavily as if to say 'awh, stop it'.

Tearing a flying disk from the basket, Riku held it high in the air. "Ultimate Frisbee, anyone?" Roxas, Sora, and Kairi's hands rocketed into the air. They quickly divided into teams and jetted off to begin the game. Not much after, Naminé pulled her pale, blonde hair into a pony tail, bangs scattered across her face, and removed her sketchbook and pen from the wicker basket. Swiftly, she etched elegant lines across the page. They swirled and connected, revealing a head of spiky hair.

"You drawing Roxas, eh?" Xion inquired, sneaking up behind the focused adolescent. She was obviously startled, not helping Xion's situation. Still, she sat next to her and continued to speak. "You have no idea how sorry I am. I guess I was just jealous, because, I loved Riku and you had him. And then you got Roxas, and I, I just didn't think it was fair. Don't ask where the hell my logic was in that, because I don't know. And I won't know. I was stupider than I've ever been."

Naminé glanced at her old friend, an apathetic expression painted on her face. "You are just _full_ of bullshit, aren't you? In love with him? That's crap. So you two made out on the beach. Don't forget that was actually _while _we were dating, but it was early enough on that I was stupid enough to let it go. So, you want to know why I'm so mad this time? Because this isn't your first strike." With a huff, she turned back to her paper.

Xion tugged at the wide sleeves of her black coat, drew in a breath, and spoke once more. "That doesn't mean I didn't love him, okay? Because, I _did_. I still do. And I understand that you're upset, and I know why. You have a right to be, I'm just asking for your forgiveness. Yes, I know I've been stupid in the past, and I _swear _to you, it will never, ever happen again. If you'll just let me back in, I'll be the best friend ever."

But her words barely penetrated her; it was the look in her eyes that let Naminé know her friend was for real. "I believe you, but I sure as hell hope you know that if I catch you even _flirting_ with him, much less concocting some crazy scheme, you can forget about coming back to me and begging for my forgiveness, because you won't be getting any."

Xion's eyes grew wider with each word spoken, and as soon as the last syllable broke from her companion's mouth, she wrapped her in the tightest hug she could give. They fell into their comfortable pattern as they talked while the others played their games. Cool water rippled onto the sand below, and everything felt like it had been before. One thing let Naminé remember it never would be, though. At the end of the game, the boy she knew she loved wrapped her in his muscular arms and let her feel his warmth.

After a moment, he began to speak. "I shouldn't love you, but I want to." He used a finger to tilt her chin up so their eyes could meet, blue to blue once more. "I just can't turn away from you, but it's okay. There's something between us, something they couldn't have anything to do with, that is letting me know that this is more than real. I'll never be able to let go of that, or you." He paused before saying the words she needed to hear. "I love you." He sealed his words with a single kiss he placed on her peach lips, but she pulled him back in. Their hearts raced in sync and they held each other close and kissed in their warm embrace. From then on, they knew they would always have someone to lead them through the darkest of times, a light in a world of darkness. Love would always be there, and that's all they needed.

* * *

holy shit holy shit holy shit! im finally done! finallllllllyyyy!

i was getting a.d.d. with this storry, for reall. but its donnnne!

yes, the ending is EXTREMEMLY cheesey, but i thought it was cute.

now, guesss who needs shipping ideas for new fanfics?  
if you guessed me, youre right. so feel free to tell me your favorite shippings, and ill probably end up writing about them! ;D

IM DONE! XXDDDDDDD


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